^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. # 



||hHp.tlii lapsngW |o t 

# ■ # 

! UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.! 



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NEWBURGH, N. Y. : 4 

]2. M. IIUTTKNBKU A' SoN, PeINTKRS 

LS73. 



7.3^ 



l^ 






Entered according to Act ot Congress, in the year 1873, 

BY LEWIS BEACH, 

In tlie Office of the Librarian of Congreso, at Waahiugton. 



Mriefiaxr, 



'PiiK j^Mowin^- popularity ol" ('ornvvall has created a want 
wliicli the ti)ll(>wing- paoes arc desioned to supply. For a long' 
tiiru', the writer has had it in view, to prepare a wt)rk some- 
what siniihir to the one now |)resent(^d, Imt of a more coniprc- 
hensive eharaeter. It was not, however, until the (?arly part of 
tlie Spring- just past, that the undertaking-, upon the earnest 
solicitation of vahied friends, was beg-un. The short interval 
tliat lias siiK-c elapsed, i-onpled with the pressure of other en- 
g-agemiMits. has not ])erinitted the bestowal of the attention and 
pains necessary to a proper treatment of the subject. The ma- 
terial at hand was not only rich but abundant. Cornwall was 
to be spoken oi' — the salubrity of its air — the diversity of its 
scenery — the fruitfulness of its soil — the beauty of its Lakes — 
the grandeur of its mountains — the quiet splendor of its dales 
— the maguilicence of its slopes and ridg-es — the superiority 
anil al)undance of its water — its economical advantages— man- 
iilacturing- facilities — mineral developments and agricultural re- 
j^onrces^ — its Revolutionary associations, and wealth in historical 
and traditional incident. These, and other topics of kindred 
nature, promised to engage the pen. The labor involved in the 
task propos(Ml formed a serious obstacle to its more early com- 
mencement. Ancient records had to be consulted, and, unfortu- 
nat(dy, they were scattered in ditferent localities — in the archives 
at .Vlbany and the lil>raries at New York— old newspaper tiles 
had to lie run over — numuscripts and letters had to be read and 
siftcd^personal interviews with that mythical individual, "the 
oldest iidiabitant," had to be made — the Mountains had to be ex- 



PEEFACE. iv 

plorcd — tlie Lak<'s visitod — forests poiietrated — streams traced 
— caverns pierced — glens entered — springs tasted — rocks ex- 
amined — relii's siuvey(>d — roads traversed, and tlie way-sider 
(|n('Ktioned. All these pre-reqnisites to the work in hand, have 
lie<'ii met, iind the result is now submitted to the reader. Tn 
placing it before the public, the writer begs to acknowledge 
the valuable aid he has received in all quarters. To avoid in- 
vidious distinctions, where all, to whom resort for information 
has been made, have acted so generously, mention of particular 
names is forborne. The work is resp('ctfully dedicated to the 
people of Cornwall, in whose interest it has been prepared, and 
to whom the writer is largely indebted for many favors and acts 
of kindness during his residence among tluMii. 

LEWIS BKACH. 
CoRxvvAM,, July, 1873. 




|ii5itorii. 




History tells us that uu the eve- 
ning- of the 14th of September, 1609, 
that intrepid navigator from whom 
our noble Hudson takes its name, fur- 
led the sails of his vessel, the Half- 
Moon, and came to anchor near what 
is now known as West Point. For 
jthe Hrst time, the eye of the white 
nuui scanned the beetling cliffs and 
cloud-capped peaks of the Highlands. 
In fancy we see the Explorer as he 
paced the deck of his little ship, in the dim twilight of that 
autumnal eve, with all the virgin beauty of wood and rock about 
him. It was, in truth, a scene for the eye of the Artist. To the 
Discoverer, it had but inferior charms. As he turned from the 
view to the bold head-lands before him, which seemed to bar his 
further progress, his heart must have sunk within him. For the 
third time, he had crossed the seas in search of a north-east pas- 
sage to the shores of Asia. The river, wliose ascent he had begun 
the preceding day, had, with its deep and broadening waters, 
flattered the hope that the object of his ambition was about to 
be realized. Now, as the shades of night gathered around him 
and he saw that river narrow to the semblance of a mountain 
lake, serious misgivings must have occupied his mind. How- 
ever, on the morrow, he continued his vcjyage, and passing the 
Highlands, again cast anchor, taking in his view the broad bay 
before him and its semi-circling shores, clothed in the rich hues 
of an autunni forest. After exploring the river as far up as 
where Waterford now stands, with saddened thoughts he re- 
traced his steps. A faithful account of the voyage has been 
preserved to us through the .b)urnal or Log-book of Robert 
Juet, who had previously acted as mate to Hudson, but was now 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



traveling" with him as roiujianidii. From tliis .loiuual it appears 
tliat, "On the nine and twentieth, at three of the clocke in the 
"afternoon, we Aveighed as soon as tlie ebV)e eanie, and tnrned 
"down to tlie I'dge <)f fhf movvfaive.s, or the northermod of the 
"monntaines, and anchored ; beeanse the highland hath many 
"points and a narrow cliannel, and liath many eddie winds. So 
" we rode quietly all nig'lit in seven i'athoms water. The thir- 
"tieth was fair weather, and the wind at the south-east ; a stiff 
"gale between the nionntaines. We rode still the afternoone. 
"The people of the country came aboord us, and brought some 
"skinnes with them, which we bought for knives and trifles. 




''This is a n^nj plco'^anl i>!aci' to build a loirnr an. The road is 
"very neere and very good, for all wiiides save an east-north- 
"east winde. The mountaiiics look as if some metall or mine- 
"rall were in them. For the trees that grow on them were all 
"blasted, and some of them barren with few or no tr(M's on 
"them. The people brought a stone aboard like to an emery (a 
" stone used by glaziers to cut glasse): it would cut iron or 
"Steele, yet being bruised small and water put to it, it made a 
"color like blacke lead glistening ; it is also good for painters' 
"colors At three of the clocke they departed and we rode 
"still all the night." Thr first of October. — "In the morning 



EARLY HISTORY. 



"we weig-hcfl at seven of the clorke, witli the el)l)e, ami o-nt 
'•down heh)vv tlie mountaines, which was seven leagMiew." 

The (Mitry we have (luoted, contains tlie first allusion to the 
district of country now enil)racint;- Cornwall. It was whilst 
viewing- the inviting table-land of our Ilig-hland-terruce that 
the Journalist wrote : " Tlih i^ a n'rij plt^amrit place to build a 
" ToV'iH' on." The Indians who came on hoard the vessel M'ere 
doubtless what were subse(i[uently called "The Murderer's Kill 
Indians," and some little account of them may be proper in this 
connection. As early as 1625, a sub-tribal chieftaincy of the 
the MixsLs, known as the Waorrnif'c/.s, are said to have occupied 
the region extending- from the Dans-kammer on the north to 
Stony Point on the south. The name of Waoranecks disap- 
peared from the records after that time, and we afterwards find 
the Indians of this section spoken of as "The Miu-derer's Kill 
Indians." That the change in name was owing- to some inci- 
dent that occurred on the creek in question, or to the action 
of the chieftaincy, during the tii'st Esopus war, appears probable 
from the fact that the crec>kis iirst called "The Murderer's," i.e. 
place of residence of the chieitaincy, on Van Der Donck's Map, 
(165(),) soon after the close of the war referred to. The 
sachem of the tribe, in IM:\ was Werepekes, and the principal 
chiefs, Awessewa and Maringoman. It was tin' latter whose 
name ajipears on the deed to (Tovernor l)ong-an of all the laml 
lying between Murderer's cree'k and Stony Point. 

■-■'-> Mariug'oman's "castle" 

and Maringoman's " wig-- 
wam " are spoken of in 
~-^^S^^^^^'^^%^iir the early deeds. The first 
was on the north end of 
the Schunemuuk moun- 
tain, on the south side of 
Murderer's creek, in the 
i present town of Bloom- 
I'Jng -( Trove, formerly a 
l)art of ('ornwall, and is 
jjarticularly described as 
l>eing; "opposite the house 
"where John McLean 




S TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

" iKjw (1756) dwells, near the said kill." He subsequently 
removed to what is called a "wig-wani," wliich stood "on 
"the north bank of >[urderer's creek, where Col. Matthews 
"lives." The location of the wig'wam was in the town of 
Hamptonburgh, on the ]joint of land formed l)y the junction 
of the Otter-kill and the (Irey-court creek, by which Murder- 
er's creek is formed. The name of tlie creek is thus not only 
taken directly to tlie head-quarters of the chieftaincy, but 
pauses there as thcnig-h it had written upon the palisades of 
the castle the identification, " The Murderers." * A short dis- 
tance south of the castle was the burial ground of the clan. Its 
]>recise location is shown on tlu^ early maps. 

Evidences of Indian occupation have been discovered in the 
valleys adjacent to the Schunennndc mountain. Some years 
since, Mr. Joseph Sinsabaug'h, in excavating muck in the swamp 
near his residence, found various domestic im])lements of stone 
which were evidently the make of the Aborig-inees. The late 
N. P. Willis also ret'overed various relics on his place, among 
others a bust formed from lime-)-ock, of which lie wrote: "When 
"(Jopway, tlie Ojibeway chief, was here, on a lecturing excur- 
" sion, in 1S55, he examined it and the place where it was 
" found, and said, ' It is tli<' god of the winds and birds — Wassa- 
" ba-war-sin.' " 

The Waomnecks were a sanguinary tribe, as tiie name which 
subsequently attached to them woidd indicate. They engaged 
in the Esopus wars, and prol)ably, as hinted by Mr. Ruttenber,'j' 
in those at Fort Amsterdam. They also participated in those 
religions orgies which were held from time to time at the Dans- 
kammer, the promontory which stands to the north-western head 
of Newburgh bay, and which derived its name from the rites 
they celebrated. More than two centuries ago, this promontory 
was called, by some passing ski])per, "De Duyfers Dans-kam- 

* An explanation of the origin of the name of Murderer's creek, materially different 
from this, in given by .Judge Benson, who says that it is a corruption of the Dntch word 
"Martelaer"; that the early Dutch navigators, in di\'iding the river into "reaches" 
and giving to each a descriptive title, called the section from Fort Montgomery north 
through the Highlands, " Martelaer's reach" — a term signifying, •■contending, strug- 
gling sufTering," or difficult of navigatiim. The name attached itself to West Point and 
Constitution Island, as well as to this creek, surviving in the former to the days of the 
Revolution. This explanation is correct so far as original application is concerned, but 
it fails to elucidate the jioint. that the Dutch themelves, at a later period, recognized a 
different branch of the definition of the word " Martelaer " as applicable to this creek, 
signifying literally, " The Murderer's kill." but figuratively as applied to other points. 

t •• Indian Tribes of Hudson's River." 



EARLY HISTORY. 



9 



,„e, I "_(The Devil's Dance-chambor). The Indian's (tocI was 
named Bachtanio, and tlic lioniao-c paid this deity was charac- 
teri/.ed by tlio early Dutch as "devil worship." Before dei)art- 
ing- on their hunts or engao-ing- in war, they would repair to the 
Dans-kannner, in quest of omens and to propitiate tlieir (iod. 
,^^_-^_ "At these meeting's," 

says a paper describ- 
ing the natives of New 
Netiierlands, written in 
1621, "conjurors act a 
i« wonderful part. These 
tumble witli strange 
contortions, head over 
liecds ; beat themselves, 
leap w i t li a hideous 
noise tliroug'li and 
around a large lire. — 
Finally they all raise a 
tremendous caterwaul- 
ing, when the devil ap- 
pears (they say) in the 
shape of a ravenous or 
harndess animal. The 
first betokens something" 
l)ad, the second, some- 
thing- good." Kinte-kaying was the Indian name for these 
rites. So strongly did they aftect the superstitious foreigners 
That the authorities ultimately forbade their observance within 
the circle of Eurcjpean occupation.' 

On the 15th April, 1685, all the land occupied or claimed by 
the Murderer's kill Indians, extending from the creek of that 
name to Stony Point, was ])urchased of them by Govenuu- 
Dongan. About the year 1694, this tract came into the posses- 
sion of Captain John Evans, by virtue of a grant made by Col. 
Benjamin Fletcher, then Governor of the province of New York. 
This grant was subsequently revoked as improvident, by the 
Earl of Bellomont, who succeeded Col. Fletcher as Governor of 
the Province. Captain Evans, in his petition to the Queen for 
redress (ITll) recited that he was "commander of the Rich- 




10 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 

■'luoud man-of-war In the year 1693, and was sent to attend tlie 
"province of New York in America, where he continued ahnost 
" six years and performed considerable service for the benefit 
"of that colony; that Col. Benjamin Fletcher, then Governor 
"of New York, in consideration thereof, and of five hundied 
"pounds paid to him by your petitioner, in lieu of his establish- 
"ed fees upon grants of lands, by letter of patent under the 
"great seal of tliat province, granted unto your petitioner and 
"his heirs, a large tract of unappropriated land called Murder- 
" er's creek, containing eighteeii miles in length fronting on 
" Hudson's river, and thirty miles backward, which had been 
" boug'ht by Col. Dongan when (lovernor of New York, from the 
"Indian natives, for seventy pounds. On which tract your pe- 
"titioner expended a great deal of money in clearing- several 
"places for farms, and planted several families of Scots and 
" Irish under annual rents, intending- to retire thither himself, 
"wlien there should be a happy and lasting peace." The peti- 
tioner then alluded to the injustice of the Earl of Bellomont in 
depriving- him of an estate for which "he had been offered ten 
" thousand pounds sterling " in England, and prays that the tract 
may be restored to him. From the report of tlie Lords of Trade, 
April 12, 1720, it appears that the petition was reported upon 
favorably, but no subsequent action was taken to reinvest Cap- 
tain Evans of his estate. This immense tract was subsequently 
farmed t»ut in small parcels, and the patents conveying the 
same, allude to the respective premises as part of the grant to 
Captain Evans, subsequently revoked. 

The statement in the petitit)n, that the ('aptain had expended 
" great sums of money in clearing severtfl places \'oy farms," and 
had planted "several families of Scots and Irish," must betaken 
with some allowance. The evidence is opposed to the truth of 
the statement. Several families of Scots were, indeed, located 
on the tract from whom he demanded rents ; but they were not 
planted l)y his hand. On the contrary, he was a trespasser 
upon their rights. The facts are, that one ('olonel Patrick Mac- 
(xregoric. a brave Scotchman, lead thither, in 1()84, a colony 
of his co)intrymen, purchased land, erected log cabins, cleared 
off forests and planted orchards. The statements made in a 
ix'titioii of Marg-arct, tlie widow of Col. Mac(ir('S'orie. on file 



EARLY HI8T0RY. 



11 



aiiioii.u- the hind pupcis at Albany, were abundantly proved, viz: 
Tiiat " Patrick Martireo-ovic,* the husband of the petitioner, to- 
"o-ether with her brother, David Toshuck, Laird of Minivard, in 
" lfi84, accompanied by twenty-tive others, emio-rated from 
"Scotland witii intent to settle in New Jersey; that they were 
"persuaded to settle in the province of New ^'ork by (xovernor 
"l)onji,an : that Governor Dongan promised and did "-rant them 
"license to purchase lands from the Indians, which they did, 
" and so settled themselves, their families and sundry of their 
"servants on the lands so purchased, and were not only the first 
"Christians that purchased and improved thereon, but also 
"peaceably and (piietly jtossesscd and enjoyed themselves dur- 
" ing- the terms of tlieir natural lives." The lands upon which 
they settled embraced a tract on both sides of Murderer's creek, 
"in the county of Orang'c." and hence in the orig'inal town of 

Cornwall, — a fact, the exact- 
ness of whicli will be admit- 
ted when it is understood that 
the boundary line of the coun- 
'f ty at that time was not Mur- 
derer's creek de facto, but an 
east and west line intersect- 
ing the creek at its head of 
navigation which was then 
regarded as its mouth. On 
Plum Point, MacGreg'orie put 
up his dwelling, at a point 
shown by the accompanying 
diagram, and, in company 
with Toshuck, engaged in 
1686 he entered the service of 

* Colouel Patrick MacGregorie came to this country with a uuinber of t'ollowers, in 1684, 
first landing in Maryland and then ijroceediug north to Perth Aniboy, in New Jersey. 
At the suggestion of" Governor Dongan in 1685, he removed to Plum Point, just above the 
Hudson Highlands, where he built a log house and engaged in the Indian trade. In that 
business he became master of the Indian language. In 1686, he was appointed Muster- 
Master General of the militia of the Province of New York, and was soon sent to com- 
mand a party to trade at Michillirnakiuac. They were caught on their way and carried 
prisoners tollontreal. By an order from the French government MacGregorie was releas- 
ed in 1687. and returned to New York. After that Governor Sir Edmund Andrus, employ- 
ed him in the command of a company against the Indians East of Pemaquid. In the 
tumult in New York. March 1691. between the government and the Leisler parties, Mac- 
Gregorie was killed, and was buried with public honors. He failed to obtain patents for 
the land he occupied above the Highlands which were granted to Captain Evans by Gov- 
ernor Fletcher. His family, after much tribulation, obtained the property mentioned in 
the text. — LossiNG. 




trade with tiie Indians, li 



12 TOWN OF COENWALL. 

the State, leaving his family and trade in the eare of Toshuck, 
and the duty of issuing' a patent for the lands he had purchased, 
to (xuvernor Dongan. The latter neglected his trust; MacGrego- 
rie fell a victim to the Leisler revolution; a new Governor re- 
warded a favorite by granting the lands to Captain Evans. It 
may be proper to add that the MacGregorie family continued 
in occupation of Plum Point, ultimately receiving a patent 
thei'efor, initil 1727, when they sold to Thomas Ellison. 
' The names of the several families composing MacGregorie's 
settlement, cannot now be ascertained. One MacCollum settled 
near him; William Sutherland, the presumed ancestor of the 
present Canterbui'y i'amily of that name, was another; and the 
name of Daniel Maskrig, in addition to that of Toshuck, also ap- 
pears. Toshuck died in 1687, as appears from an entry in the 
Council Minutes of the Province under date of December 3d, of 
that year, in the following terms: "Daniel Maskrig, late servant 
"to David Toshuck, late of the county of Orange, informing that 
"ye said Toshuck is deceased, and none having power to meddle 
" with his estate, it is in danger of being embezzled. Ordered, that 
"said Maskrig do take all ye Indian goods and all ye personal 
" estate which ye deceased died possessed of, into his custody 
" and iriake an inventory thereof, and that he dispose of ye In- 
" dian goods and receive ye indebtedness due l\v ye Indians, 
"and render a true account of what he shall do in the premises 
"herein to this Board by ye 1st of April next." What subse- 
quently became of Maskrig or the goods, does not appear from 
tlie Minutes referred to. 

Toshuck left a widow and a son, the latter a minor at the time 
of his father's death. The point at whicli he established liis 
trading post was (m the south-easterly slope of Sloop-hill. The 
cellar excavation of the building can yet be traced. One by 
one the actors in this pioneer drama drop out of the scene of their 
struggles into unknown places of sepulture,"^ leaving behind 
them tlie rticord of their ruin by Evans, and the iindoubted 
evidence that the present town of ("<»rnwall was the sit<^ of 

* About two years Bince, tiome laborers iu grading the lawn to Mr. WTiiteside's cottage, 
removed a large tree and beneath its roots they came xipon a human skeleton. The bones 
evinced a frame ot nnusual size. The skull, which is now to be seen at Mr. Whiteside's 
residence, has strong indications of Caledonian origin. The question naturally arises, 
were not the remains thus found, those of the Laii'd of Minivard. whose trading-house 
was not far distant V 



EARLY HISTORY. 



13 



the firsst European settlement in the county of Orang'e — a set- 
tlement the continuity of which whvS never broken. 

Tlie history of (Jornwall from the period we are speaking of 
down to that of the Revolution, is not unlike tliat of other lo- 
calities in those early days. From time to time, patents for 
tracts of land were secured, and new settlements made. Trees 
were felled, and clearances made and the plow started on its 
mission of industry. The numerous streams which had for ages 
coursed our mountain slopes in proHuent waste, became ready 
and willing instruments in the cause of civilization. Saw-mills 
and Grist-mills — the one to prepare shelter; the other, food for 
the settler — were erected at conveinent spots. They have pass- 
ed away with those whom they sheltered and fed. The remains 
of some of these former mills are occasionally met and but lew 
living persons have any remembrance of their existence. 




14 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



The Revolnticjiiary history of Cornwall is replete with inci- 
dents unsurpassed, in point of interest, by any that occurred 
elsewhere during the ever memorable struggle for National 
Independence. The thrilling adventures of spy and free-booter, 
of wliit'h the mountain passes were the scene — the earnest but 
rude attempts to close the river against the passage of the 
British vessels — the surprise of Forts Clinton and Montgomery 
and their gallant but unsuccessful defence by the militia of 
Orange and Ulster — the plottings of the traitor Arnold with 
their sequel — the sad, but merited fate of the accomplished 
Andre — these, each and all, have ever inspired the pen of the 
romancist, and form a page in American history over which the 
student loves to linger. 

A l)rief sunnnary nf the war, and the position of the contend- 
ing armies is necessary to a proper understanding of the subject. 
A plan for the campaign of 1171 had been suggested by 
General Burgoyne during a recent visit to England, and had 
been agreed to by the King. About the middle of June of that 
year Burgoyne was stationed at St. Johns with a force under his 
command of about eight thousand men, supplied with brass 
artillery and admirably appointed in every respect. The main 
part of tills army under Burgoyne was to advance upon Ticon- 
deroga, while a detachment under Lieutenant-Colonel St. Leger 
was to land at Oswego and sweep the Mohawk valley for pur- 
pose of ravage and i)lunder, and at the sume time to create a 
diversion as to the true object of the movement. Having captur- 
ed Ticonderoga, Burgoyne was to move down Lake Champlain 
and so on to Alltany where the expedition inidei' St. Leger was 
to re-join him. 

The British forces in the south at tiiis time were operating in 
the Jersevs, under the command ol' Sir William Howe. This 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 15 

wily <^"<inmiaiid(n" had been trying" to precipitate a general action, 
by various feints, but every attempt had proved abortive, owing" 
to the prudence and foresig-ht of Washing-ton. At the close of 
June, (leneral Howe broke up his encanipineiit at And)oy, and 
his troops betook themselves to their vessels and trans})orts in 
the bay of New York. Immediately after the evacuation of the 
Jerseys, intelligence was brought to Washington, whose camp 
was at Middlebrook, that the whole (Umadian army, under 
Burgoyne had entered Lake ('hamplain, and were evidently 
l)ound upon some expedition to the southward. 

The concurrence of the two movements suggested to Wash- 
ington's mind the idea that the intention of tlie enemy was a 
simultaneous advance by Burgoyne in the north and Howe from 
the south, with the view of an ultimate junction at Albany. 
This, in fact, was the intention, and how to circumvent it, 
instantly, engrossed the attention of the American Ccmimander- 
in-chief. The importance of retaining possession of the Cornwall 
Highlands was seen at a glance. Even before this time, during 
the preceeding fall, Wasliington had made a t(nir of inspection 
through the detiles of the Hudson, in an open boat, and appreci- 
ating their strategic importance, had ordered fortitications of 
which M^e will come to speak hereafter. In the present emergen- 
cy there was no time to lose. Washington wrote at once to 
General George (Uinton, at New Windsor, to call out the militia 
of Orange and Vlster, and General .'-^ullivan, with a considerable 
for(;e, was oi'dered to advance towards the Highlands as far as 
Pompton. Washington himself ciianged his camp to Morristown, 
so as to be ready either to march to the Highlands, or fall back 
upon his old fortifications at Middlebrook, in case General Howe 
should again enter the Jerseys to strike at Philadelphia. Gene- 
rals Parsons and Varnum were sent with a couple of brigades 
to Peekskill, and General Putnam was directed to sununon the 
Connecticut militia. These preparations were conducted with 
energy and alacrity. When we regard them in the lia"ht of 
subsequent events, we cannot avoid looking at Washington as 
almost gifted with prescience, the attribute of a higher power. 
There is no telling what would have been the result of a failure 
to do the very things that were done. Had General Howe ett'ect- 
ed a junction with Burgoyne, the war would certainly liave V»een 



16 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 

prolonged — if not ended in u difterent way fnjin what it was. 

In tlie early summer of 1716, a A-ery formidable conspiracy 
had been concocted at New York, on the part of tory residents. 
Its disclosure gave rise to the most serious alarm. The plot 
had in view the secret co-operation of all friendly to the British 
cause — a general uprising on a stated day — the destruction of 
the magazines — the massacre of all the commanding officers, and 
the forcible abduction, or even killing off, if need be, of Wash- 
ington. It is needless for us in this connection, to trace the 
course of the conspiracy, or speak of its participants, further than 
to say that the details of the plot were thoroughly sifted, and 
resulted, on the 28th of June, in the public execution of Thomas 
Hickey, an Irishman, whe was attached to the body-guard of 
Washington, and who was seriously implicated in the matter. 
It was found, however, that the plot was not confined to the 
city, but had spread through the country. 

A tory, by the name of Jahies Hatf, residing in Cornwall, 
appeared before the Committee of Safety for the town,* and 
confessed that he was one of many in the vicinity, who had 
resolved t(j go over to the British upon their arrival in the High- 
lands. He stated that upon the landing of the enemy at 
Verplanck's Point, the tories were to rise en maase, and the guns 
at the different forts were to be spiked by the disaffected of 
their own garrisons. The Connnittee of Safety immediately 
forwarded word of the plot to Colonel James Clinton, then at Fort 
(Constitution, who took active measures to prevent its success. 

The disclosure of the plot was peculiarly annoying and alarm- 
ing at this juncture, from the fact that the enemy were concen- 
trating their forces in the bay of New York, preparatory to some 
grand movement, which they confidently hoped would quell the 
rebellion. They had at this time in the bay, one hundred and 
thirty ships, men-of-war and transports. Their object was to 
seize and retain possession of the Hudson, as a basis for military 
operations, thereljy effecting a junction of their Northern and 
Southern armies, and effectually cutting off the Eastern from 

* The towu or precinct of Cornwall embraced, at that time, the present towns of Corn- 
wall, Blooming-Grove, Monroe, and part of the present county of Kockland. As being 
more nearly the centre of the precinct, elections and public meetings were held in what 
is now Blooming-Grove, at a small hamlet bearing that name which had been planted in 
the vicinity of the old Blooming-Grove church. It was here that the Committee of 
Safety, of "which Hezekiah Howell was chairman, held its head-quart<?rs. 



REVOLlfriONARY HISTORY. H 

the Middle States. Had the plan succeeded, tlie divisidii of the 
patriot i'orces would have iinM)lved the su1)versioii of the vebel- 
liou and the re-establishnient of the Crown. 

A diversion in this dinH-tion took place in the early i)art of 
the ensuiii}^ s])ring-, (1777) as soon as the riv<'r was clear oi' ice. 
About the 20th of March, General Howe despatched a squadron 
of vessels, with five hundred men, under Col. Bird, for Peekskill. 
The American officer in connnand at this point, was General 
Heath, but he being absent at the time, the control devolved 
upon Brigadier-General McDougall. He had a force under him 
of only two hundred and fifty men. Having been apprised oi' 
the intended attack, McDougall began the removal of his stores 
and provisions to a place of safety. They were taken to Forts 
Montgomery and Constitution. The enemy arrived in Peekskill 
bay on the morning of the 23d, and disembarked their forces at 
a small cove at the southerly side of the bay, known as Lent's 
Cove. They had with them tVmr small field pieces, which were 
landed and drawn over the rough road by chosen sailors. Their 
march was unopposed, as (4en. McDougall had determined upon 
evacuating liis barracks, which he did, on the enemy's approach, 
having first committed them, along with the principal store-hou- 
ses, to the flames. He then retreated to a strong post about two 
miles distant, situated on the southerly side of St. Anthony's 
Nose. This post commanded the entrance to the Highlands, and 
subsequently furnished the site for the erection of Fort Inde- 
pendence. It was the spot where Washington had remarked, a 
handful of men could resist an army, with no other Aveapons 
than the loose stones and rocks which could he hurled upon the 
assailants. It was in truth the Thermopyla? of the Hudson. 
The position had another advantage of no mean account. It 
controlled the road leading to Continental village, a small settle- 
ment to the north of Peekskill, used as a place of deposit. 

The British, upon their arrival at Peekskill, found not only 
the store-houses, but the wharf in flames. From tlie latter they 
had expected to embark their plunder. Its destruction interfer- 
ed materially with the object of the maraud. Fearing to remain 
long in a place which might be made uncomfortably warm by 
means other than the flames, the enemy re-embarked the next 
morning on their ships, and raising anchor set sail for New York. 



18 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

They ohtaintMl uotliiug of value l)y tlie expeditinn, wliil.st they 
h)st thirteen men in a skirmish with a detachment from Fort 
Cf)nstituti(m under Colonel Marinus Willet. 

The loss of stores and ])rovisions to the Americans, thoup-h 
nut consideral)le, was yet a damagung- if not serious blow, con- 
sidering" the limited resources for re-sup|)lying- them ; and this 
" unfortunate aft'air at Peekskill," as it has been called by the 
historian, g"ave rise to renewed efforts ior the protection of the 
Highland passes in which we are interested and about which 
we are coming" to speak. 

On the 12th of May, 1777, (ieneral Greene received orders 
from Washing-ton to visit the Highlands, and examine the defen- 
ces already begun, and repent their condition, as well as any ini- 
provements he might see tit to suggest. He associated with him 
ill this undertaking Generals Knox, (Jeorge (-linton, ArcDougall 
and Wayne. These tive Generals made a careful tour of insjx'c- 
tion, and submitted their report to the ('onimander-iu-chief, 
wherein they recommended tluM'arly comj)letioii of the proposed 
chain obstruction from Fort Montgomery to Anthony's Nose. 
They thought that a l)oom stretched across the river at this 
point, protected by cables ])laced so as lo lireak the force of 
ap|)roaching vessels, would effectually olistruct tiie passag(> of 
the enemy. As an additional pnjtection, they suggested that u 
couple of gun ships and row galleys l)e stationed conveniently 
near, and proper batteries be erected on shore. The idea that 
the enemy would attem))t to advance by land, was regarded as 
puerile, on account of (as they reported), "the passes through 
" the Highlands being so exceedingly difficult." The chain 
obstruction now spoken of, must not be confounded with the one 
subseipiently i)laced at a point I'urther up the river, between 
West Point and Fort Constitution, or that l»etween Plum Point 
and Pallopel's Island. The suggestions of the committee were 
favorably received, and immediate steps taken to put them into 
practical operation. The chain was made from iron taken trom 
the mountains of the present town of Monroe, l)ut at tiiat time a 
part of Cornwall, and having been transported in sections, was 
placed in position. The preparations were under the personal 
direction of (xeneral Putnam, upon whom tiie connnand of the 
Hudson had recently dcA-olved. He was ablv assisted in his 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 



19 



ettorts l»y (Jciicriil (icori^'c Clinton, wlio had just liccn rlccted 
undfU' the new Coiistitution, the first (Tovenior ul' New Voi'k, 
and who, theret'ore. coinnianded the militia of the State. 

(iovernor Clinton resided at New VViixl.sor. The house in 
wliieh he lived is still in existence, and is an object (tf reverence 
and interest lo tlie visitor. At the time of which we are speak- 
int;-, (the early tall of '77,) the defences of the Hig-hh'.nds con- 
sisted of — 1st, the chain obstruction across tlie r.ver at St. 
Antliony's Nose, with the boom and chevaux-(le-fri/,e ; and sec- 
ond, the ibrts — three in nnnd)er, and named Clinton, Montgom- 
ery, and (constitution. The action of the tide had repeatedly 
bioken the chain, but the damag-e had been repaired, and it was 
thoug'ht the obstruction was sufficient t\)r the purpose for which 
it was created. It is difficult for us at this day to appreciate 
the confidence felt by our ancestors in the security of a chain 
that went to pieces with the pressure of tin- water. If its 
strength had been tested by a British man-of-war, under full 
way, whicli fortunately it never was, their contidenci' would 
proiiably have received a severe shock. Forts Clinton and|Mont- 
"•omerv wer(> located on the west bank oi' the river, and Fort 




("oiistitution on the east, to the south of Hull's Hill, and nearly 
opposite West Point. Fort Montgomery was first erected and 
was the larg-est, being capable of maintaining a garrison of 



20 TOWN OF COENWALL. 

about seven hundred. Fort Clinton was ))laced on ground 
which connnanded Fort Montg'oniery, and was distant from it 
a rifle shot. It would hold a garrison of only three hundred 
men. Between the two forts, there was a deeyi i-avine, through 
which flowed a small stream, known on the ancient maps as 
Poplopen's creek. This stream was crossed by a rude bridge. 
The division line between Orange and Kockland counties, is 
now at this point, so that the site of Fort Clinton is in the 
latter, while that of Fort Montgomery is in the former county. 

At the time of the British attack upon these forts, Governor 
George Clinton was in command of P^ort Montgomery, and his 
brother James had charge of Fort Clinton. The full nund)er of 
men under their associate command did not exceed six hundred 
and were chiefly raw militia, who had been summoned in great 
liaste upon news of the expected attack. The only officer of 
any experience was Colonel Lamb, who had seen service in 
Canada, and now had a company of his artillerists with him 
distributed l)etween the two forts. 

It had been resolved, by Sir Henry Clniton, the British 
General, that the forts should fall through strategy. Accord- 
ingly, on the 4th of October, 1777, he dispatched an armament 
up the river, which proceeded as far as Tarrytown and there 
landed its forces. The object of this movement was to induce 
General Putnam to believe that Peekskill was the point of 
attack ; and it had the effect intended. General Putnam im- 
mediately sent oft' to the Highlands for reinforcements. The 
enemy marched several miles into the country, and then turning 
about, again sought the river, re-embarked in their vessels and, 
crossing the Tappan sea and HaverstiTiw bay, proceeded to 
Verplanck's Point, about eight miles below Peekskill, where a 
force of three thousand men was landed. 

The morning of the 6th opened with a heavy fog, and under 
its friendly cover Sir Henry crossed the river to Stcmy Point, 
with two thousnnd men, leaving the remainder of his forces to 
keep up a threatening move on Peekskill. The march on the 
forts was now taken through the narrow and circuitous defiles 
that skirt the southerly side of Dunderberg (Thunder-hill) 
mountain. These passes were obstructed with a shaggy forest, 
and numberless rocks aiid streams, which had caused the com- 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 21 

iiiittoc <>r <;<'ii(M:iis, licton' iilliidcd to. to rcpoit tluit tlM'v were 
inipassaUlc to tlic ciiciiiy ; Inil tliriiii<i'li tliciii and aluiit;- tlicm 
they now niairliod. A little Iteyoiid the junction of the streams 
known as Klorus' tall and Napyiies' kill, Sir Henry left a de- 
tachment to li'uard the pass and keep his connnnnications o|)en 
with the river. The main hody pushed on to the west of the 
Dnndei'lierii' until it arrived in a ravine formed hy Bear-hill on 
the north and Dnnderlierji' on llie south. 

Il was now ei,<;'ht o'clock in the morning-, and the projected 
movement had lieeii exei-nted with celerity and with all the 
secresy expecte(l. A halt was ordered and the foico divided 
into two columns; the rij^'ht was to attack Kort Clinton, and 
the left was to })ush around the westerly side of Bear-hill and 
come upon Fort .\loiit,i;"omerv. The attack was intended to he 
made upon hoth forts simultaneously. In order to do so, the 
rig'ht column rested until the left had timi^ to make the circuit 
to the rear of Fort Montgomery. I)urins>' this time (xoveriior 
Clinton was not asleep- He had lieen forewarned of the sailing- 
of the enemy's fleet up the I'iver, and to jtrocure infornuition of 
their destination, he had that morning- sent out scouts to watch 
tlu'ir movements. The scouts brought in word of the landing 
at Stony Point, and, Justly a)>])rehensive that an attack on the 
forts uiuler his comnuiud was to he made, he sent to (reneral 
Futnam for reinforcements, called to his aid the militia of the 
district, and pre])ared to make the best defence in his powt'r. 
The enemy were now within striking- distance of the forts. A 
scouting party of thirty from Fort Clinton had been driven back 
by their advance lines. It was innnediat(dy reinforced and 
stationed with a brass lield-piec-e on an eminence on Bear-hill, 
connnanding- the detile through which the enemy must pass. It 
occu])ied this position until forced from it l)y the fear of being- 
surrounded ; the enemy having detiled to tlie woods on i)oth 
sides. The tield-piece could not be removed, owing to the roug-h 
and rugged character of the g-round. It was therefore s])iked, 
and the ))arty retreated to the fort, under cover of the tire of a 
twelve-pounder with which Coloiud Land* had occupied a com- 
manding position. 

To the rear of Fort Clinton was a pond called Lake Sinsi])ink. 
The striy) of land between the lake and the ri^-er had been forti- 
c •> 



22 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

fied with an abatis, which seriously retarded th(i attack of the 
enemy. However, by four o'clock the skirmishers had all been 
driven into the forts. A momentary lull took place. It was 
broken by a summons to surrender. Governor ('linton had no 
intention of tamely laying* down his arms and abandoning liis 
trust to the enemy. He ho})ed, with the reinforcements for 
which he iiad sent and which he momentarily expected, to be 
able to hold the forts. He did not know at the time that his 
messeng'er to General Putnam had turned traitor, and his call 
ff)r assistance had failed to reach the ears for which it was 
intended. In an hour's time a determined attack was made 
upon both forts, and was resisted with equal determination. 
The contest was carried on hand to liand — the bayonet being- 
the principal weapon of offence and defence. The garrison 
Ibug'ht with a vig-or and resolution that lias extorted from the 
British historian the remark, that " their valor was exceeded by 
no other instance during- the war." But the odds were ag-ainst 
then), and, as night closed in. the English had control of the 
forts and were masters of the river })assage. 

The taking of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, iiad a depress- 
ing- effect upon the patriot army. Governor ('linton in his 
despatches to Head-qtiarters, attempted to palliate the calamity 
by recalling the bold and noble daring displayed l)y the garrison 
in the defence; but th(> fact still remained that the fortifications 
of the Highlands, which had been deemed of paramount import- 
ance, and had constantly engrossed the attention of the Com- 
mander-in-chief, were now in possession of the enemy, and no 
obstacle prevented the junction of their forces for which thej' 
had been striving. It is true, the victory had been gained — but 
with a heavy cost. Several of the most promising of the Brit- 
ish f)fficers had received their death wounds, and many of th(> 
rank and tile had been sent along to share their untimely fate 
Embittered by their loss, the assailants showed no mercy or 
quarter in the fury of their attack. The garrison wen; obliged 
to fight their way out of the forts, for they had resolved they 
would never surrender. Those tfiat escaped betook themselves 
to the mountains, and a few to the river, where boats in readi- 
ness, conveyed them to Peekskill. the Head-quarters of General 
Putnam. It is reported that (rovernor Clinton reached the liank 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. -Jo 

just as a boat was |)usliiii<;' ott" witli fugitive's, loaded to tiic 
<;Miiiwak's. The l)()at was turned back to receive the (iovenioi', 
but lie declined entering", from fear tiie additional weig'lit woidd 
eiidang'er the salety of the whole. It was oidy after pressing' 
importunities, lu; was induced to take passage. 

A list of the men taken at Fort Montgomery has been pre- 
served, and it appears there were two hundred and thirty-seven 
that failed to make their escape. In looking- over the names, 
we find but few familiar in the annals of our present town. 
They mostly belonged to the militia of Ulster and (Jrang-t? 
county. The latter embraced principally the two regiments 
which had been org'anized in Cornwall at the outbreak of 
the war, then under the respective connnand of (Jolonel Zacha- 
riali Dubois and Colonel Jesse Woodhull, but their members are 
now larg-ely represented in the records of towns subsequently 
erected from the orig-inal precinct. The militia were reported 
by (iovernor Clinton to have acted with g-reat spirit.* Tliey 
lost heavily in the action. Indeed the entire district was tilled 
with the lamentations of those bereaved of husltands, fathers, 
and sons. 

It will lie remembered, certain frig"ates and galleys had i)een 
stationed immediately above the boom that was stretched across 
the river near the forts. An attempt was made to secure their 
escape, but owing to the adverse winds that frequently prevail 
at this point, it proved futile. To prevent their falling- into the 
hands of the enemy they were now set on tire, and burned to 
the water's edge. Forts Independence and Constitution were 
also evacuated. Th' enemy raised the chevaux-de-frize and 
chain in the river, and navig-ation was successfully opened to 
their vessels. Governor Clinton tarried but a short time at Peek- 
skill — only long; enoug-h. to concert measm-es with (reneral Put- 
nam for the protection of those living- near the Hudson, who 
woidd receive, as was naturally feared, the brunt of the enemy's 
veng-eance, as their vessels ascended the river. He then repair- 
ed to New Windsor and made haste tore-organize tlie scattered 
militia. In this effort, he met with but indifferent success, 

* The regiments engaged were : Colonel D\iboi8' and Colonel Woodhiill's, from Corn- 
wall: Colonel Ellison's and Colonel McClaiighry's. from New Windsor; Colonel Has- 
bronrk's, from Newburgh; three regiments from other districts, and Colonel Lamb's 
artillery. The regiments were by no means full. The Cornwall regiments were the last 
to leave the forts, and hence sitfleredthe most severely in killed and prisoners. 



24 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

not on account ot" any apatliy on the part of the defenders 
of tlie forts, but because the pressing duties at their homes 
and the threatening- danger tliat surrounded them, forbade any 
prolonged absence. " They come in the morning and return in 
"the evening," wrote the (Tovernor to the Council of iSafety. 

About three days after the fall of the forts, two men. on their 
way from Fort Montgomery, were arrested, on what is now call- 
ed the West Point road, by some of the advance guard station- 
ed near Canterbury. One of the men evinced great agitation, 
and carrying his hand to his mouth, placed something within it 
which he hastily swallowed. Among those to whom the fact 
was communicated was the then village dcjctor who suggested 
an effectual way of solving the suspicions to which the act of the 
man had given rise. An emetic was given and had tlie effect of 
bringing up a small silver bullet. 

The man seized it in haste and swallowed it again. He now 
refused a second emetic until Governor Clinton tln-eatened to 
hang him and let the doctor carvtj it out of his stt)mach. Upon 
being brought ag-ain to light, it was found to be ovu\ in form, 
hollow, and kept together by a small screw in tlie centre. It 
was opened, and contained, on thin paper, the following' note 
from Sir Henry Clinton to (xeneral Burgoyne: " Xous y voici 
" (here we are) and nothing between us and (rates. 1 sincerely 
" hope this little success of ours will facilitate your operations.'' 
The man was immediately tried by a court-martial hastily con- 
vened, convicted as a spy, and sentenced to l)e hung. 

The enemy's vessels were now in motion, and Covernor Cliu- 
ton, with his recruits marched forward, intending to protect 
Kingston (then called Esopus) at that time the seat of the 
State Legislature. The delays with which he met caused him 
to be too late. The British arrived aboiit two hours before him, 
and having landed and dispersed a small ixuly of militia that 
had collected to oppose them, set tire to the village in different 
parts, and then re-embarked on their vess(;ls. When (xovernor 
Clinton came in sight of the burning village, he ordered the spy 
who had been brought along, to l)e hanged at once, and he Avas 
accordingly hung upon an ap))le tree which stood near by. 

Well nigh a century has passed since the captiire of the 
Highland forts. They fell beneath the strategy and superior 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 



•25 



prowess of tlic toe. No stain att;iclic(l to their ^•allaiil det'eiid- 
ers. 'I'lie jiul<;iiieiil of to-day eoiitirms tlie statinneiit of (Jeiieral 
(!]iiitoii i)i liis despatclies at the time, that " h(! liad done tiie 
"most ill his power to save tiieiii." 

Sliortly after their reduetion, the attention of the Oonnnander- 
in-eliief was uf^'ain directed to an elig'ii)h' site for "'uarding- tlie 
river and olistrnctin^' tlie navig'ation to the enemy's vessels, 
(reneral Pntnam was selected to determine the spot. He chose 
tlu^ present site of West Point, and the necessary ft)rtitications 
were hejJiin in 1778 and c;ompleted during' the following' year. 
They consisted of batteries and forts on the several eminences 
commanding' the river. Tlie principal ones w<n'e Fort Clinton, 
whose remains are yet to be seen to the east of the present 
parade ground, and Fort Putnam on Mount Independence. The 
ruins of the latter are in full view from the river, and always 
attract the attention of the traveler. Fort Constitution was 
erected on the island which now bears its name, opposite the 
Point. As an additional protection, the river was crossed with a 
heavy chain, the description of which we copy from Judge 
Monell: * " About the tirst of May, 1778, it was carried over, tirm- 
" ly fastened l)y staples to logs sixteen feet in length, pointed at 
"tlu^ ends and placed at a short distance from each other. The 
" links were made at the Sterling Iron-W(jrks, and taken to the 
_^^ „^sE_-^ forge, at New Wind- 

sor, of Captain Machin, 
and t h e r e joined to- 
gether and floated dowMi 
to West Point. A por- 
tion of the chain is pre- 
" served at West Point. The boom was made oi' log's, fifteen 
"feet in length, twadve inches in diameter, rounded at the ends 
" and clasped in the centre in the form of an octagon. The 
" logs were connected 
" bj' a heavy band of 
" iron around each end, 
"to which was united 
" two links of chain, 
"each about eighteen inches in length, made of two-inch bar- 

* "Washington's Head-quarters, Newbiirgh." etc. 





26 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



■'ii'oii. It extended across the river in front of the chain 
"to receive the first sliock of an approaching- vessel. Two 
" of the h)gs, with tlieir chains and bands, were drawn up from 
"the river, by Bishop's derrick, in 1855, and are now among- 
"the relics at Head-quarters (Newbui'gh), where they have 
••served to illustrate the precise character of the obstructions 
"and their great strength." 

The fortifications thus erected never came into the possession 
of the enemy. The narrow and providential escape they made 
from doing so, through the treason of Arnold, is familiar to all. 
The story of the traitor is an old one. It has been told time 
and again ; but such a halo oi' romance surrounds it, that the 
interest of the American people in it remains, to this day, undi- 
minished. It were vain in us to attempt its relation, in the face 
of the graphic and comprehensive narrative of Irving- in his 
" Life of Washing'ton." The salient points in the unfortunate 
episode are engrafted on the memory of every school-V)oy, and 
the ett'acing hand of time fails to erase them. The Kobinson 
House, which was occupied by Arnold as his head-quarters after 
he had secured control of the post at West Point, and in which 
his treasonable correspondence was carried on, stood on the 
east bank of the river, nearly opposite to what was. until re- 
cently, called Buttermilk Falls. It was the country seat of 
Colonel Beverly Kobinson, a noted royalist, who, upon the 
breaking out oi' hostilities, liad taken up his residence in the 
city. The property had been confiscated and its reclamation 
was the pretext under which Ainold was enabled to deceive 
Washington and open intercourse with the enemy. The posi- 
tion of the house was in one of the most lonely recesses of the 
Highlands. It stood at the foot of a mountain, surrounded by a 
dense forest, at some little height al)ove the river. It was here 
that Arnold's treason was initiated, and hen; that it culminated. 
Tlic traitor sat at the breakfast-table with Lafayette and (Gene- 
ral Knox when a horseman appeared at the door. Arnold 
excused himself for a moment. The messenger Itrought news 
of the ca))ture oi" Andre, and the finding of treasonable papers 
on his ))ersoii. Not a moment was to l)e lost ! In the words 
ol' the historian: The mine had exploded under Arnold's feet; 
yet in this awful moment he gave an evidence of that (juick- 



REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 07 

ness ot" miiul wliii'h liad won laurels tor liiiii when in the path 
lit" duty. Coiitrollinji' the dismay tliat Jiiust have smitten him 
to the heart, lie beckoned Mrs. Arnohl from the table, signil'ying- 
a wish to speak with lier in private. When ah)ne with her in 
her room up stairs, lie annoum-ed in hurried words that he was 
a ruined n»an, and must instantly Hy for his life ! Overcome 
by the shock, she fell senseless on tlu' Hoor. Without pausing- 
to aid her, he hurried down stairs, sent the inesseng^er to her 
assistance, })robably to keep him from an interview with the 
other officers, returned to the breakfast-room and informed his 
g'uests that he must hasten to West Point to prepare for the 
reception of the Commander-in-chief, and, mounting" the horse 
of the messeng'er, which stood saddled at the d(H)r, g'alloped 
down, by what is still called Arnold's Path, to the landuig place, 
where his six-oared barge was moored. Throwing himself into 
it, he ordered his men to pull out into the middle of the river, 
and then made down with all speed for Teller's (now Croton) 
Point, where he took refug'e on the British sloop-of-war, the 
Vulture. 

Washington, who had turned aside to inspect the redoubts to 
which we have already referred, now made his appearance. 
The absence of Arnold from the table, was explained by an 
aid-de-camp. The repast over, the officers proceeded to West 
Point, where Washing-ton was much surprised to hear that 
Arnold had not been seen or heard from for two days. Upon 
his return to the Kobinson House in the evening, he was made 
acquainted with his treason by Colonel Hamilton, who had 
opened the letter covering' the papers taken on Andre. 

The next day, the 2(ith of September, the unfortunate Andre 
was broug'ht under escort to the Kobinson House. Washing-ton, 
declining to see him, ordered that he be taken across the river 
to West Point. On the ■28th, for additional safety, he was seiit 
to the camp of General (ireene at Tappan. Here he was, on 
the 30th, tried before a ct)urt of officers, and convicted on his 
own admissions. The sentence was executed on the 2d of Oc- 
tober at a point about live miles from the river, on a slight 
eminence, in a field subsequently owned l)y Mr. Demarest, a 
Baptist clergyman, of Tappan. Ho was buried where he suf- 
fered. Forty-one years afterwards (1821), his remains were 



•28 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

exhumed, at the instance of the Britisli t.-overnment. and carried 
to Eng-land. where they now repose, beneath the sixth window 
in the south aisle of Westminster Abbey. On the pedestal to 
the sarcophagus is inscribed: "Sacred to the memory of Major 
"Andre, who, raised l)y his merit, at an early period of life, to 
"the rank of Adjutant-Cxeneral i>f the British forces in America, 
"and employed in an important l)ut hazardous enterprise, fell a 
"sacrifice to his zeal for his King" and country, on the second of 
" October, 1780, aged twenty-nine, universally beloved and 
"esteemed by the aiiny in which he served and lamented even 
" by his foes. His g'enerous sovereign. King (4eoi-g-e TTI, lias 
" caused this monumcjit to be erected." 

— Many matters coimec-ted with the Revolutionary history of 
('ornwall, will be mentioned, incidentally, in the cdursc of the 
folldwing- pag-es, whilst speaking" of otlier to|)ics. 




BOUNDARIES AND LOCALITIES. 



IkpuiiilarifS ami Ifacalilnri 



The present town (tf Coniwall is l)ut u {"ractional part i)f tlie 
ancient town of the same name. An act of the Oolonial As- 
sembly, in 1764, divided the old town of (loshen into two pre- 
cincts, one of which nnder the name of Cornwall comprised the 
whole of the present towns of (-ornwall, Hie^hlands, Bloomiii"'- 
(xrove, and Monroe, and parts of (Chester and Hampton burg'h. 
It contained an area of about 128,000 acres, or 200 square miles. 
Oranu'c county at this time included the present connty of Hock- 
land, but on the north extended only as far as Murderer's creek, 
where it met the Ulster line. In 1*197, Rockland was detached 
and five towns in leister, (New Windsor, Newburgh, Wallkill, 
Moiitgotnery and Deerpark) annexed, whereby Orang-e connty 
became of its present dimensions. 

Tender the " Act for dividing the Counties of this State into 
towns,'' passed March 7, 1778, the old precinct of Cornwall 
was erected into a town by the name of New ('ornwall. The 
yjrefix of "new" seems to have met with small favor, for nine 
years afterward, it was provided, by the Act of ^[arch 3, 1797, 
that "The Town of New Cornwall shall hereafter be called, 
known and distinguished i)y the name of ('ornwall, any law, 
usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding." There is on 
file, at the office of the Secretary of State, a map of Clornwall, 
vvhicli purports to have been made by Seth Marvin. The date of 
tiling is not given. It must have been about the time of the 
last mentioned act, as the boundaries correspond with the then 
existing ones. It is bounded on the north by I Ister county, on 
the south by Haverstraw and Hempstead, and on the west by 
the towns of Warwick and (roshen. 

The first disintegration occurred in the year preceeding the 
close of the last century. By act of March 23, 1799, Blooming- 
Grove and Chesecocks (named after an early patent) were 



30 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 

taken from Cornwall and erected into separate towns. The 
name of Ciiesecocks was chano-ed, in 1801, to Southtield. and 
yet ag-ain, in 1808, to Monroe, in honor of James Monroe, who 
afterwards became 'President of the United States. The loss of 
so much territory still left a town of considerable proportions. It 
embraced an area of twenty-tive^ thousand acres, extending- from 
Mui-derer's creek on the north to Poplopen's kill, on the south. 
This included the whole of the historical region of West Point 
and Fort Montg-omery. It was divided physically by a lofty, 
rugg'ed, almost impassable mountain. This mountain, or rather 
series of mountains, is a link in the Taconic chain which traver- 
ses th(! easterly side of the river until broken thr(.)ugh by the 
Hudst)n, when it shoots to the south-west, passing- throug-h New 
Jersey and terminating- in Pennsylvania. At the point where the 
river divides it, the peak on the east bank is known as Break- 
neck, and that on the west as Storm-king-. Storm-king rises 
abruptly from the water's edge and ascends to a heig-ht of over 
fourteen hundred feet above tide-water. Out of its westerly side 
spring-s a succession of peaks of nearly equal height, which bi- 
sected the tcjwn its full width, from the Hudson's waters to the 
Monroe line. At either side of this dividing mountain were to 
be found thrifty settlements, with an outstanding population 
more or less numerous. The mountain was a practical barrier 
to all intercourse between the two sections. It is true, there 
was communication by means of a road which ante-dated the 
Revolution; but the circuitousness of the route, the rigidity of 
the grade, the narrowness and ill-condition of the road, rendered 
its use only embraced as matter of necessity. The character of 
the mountain range is such that a more direct and easy road 
was impossible unless built at an outlay, the bare mention of 
which excluded its consideration. 

For many years, the evils resulting from so unnatural an 
alliance were acquiesced in. The people of this cis-montane 
district were loth to part with the heritage of revolutionary 
incident which surrounded West Point, whilst the trans-montane 
residents opposed division from fear of losing- an important 
element of their strengtli. The inconveniences, however, in- 
creased with the increasing population. In 1865, an act was 
passed by the Legislature which created two election districts. 



BOUNDARIES AND LOCALITIES. 31 

Before* this, tlic itlacc of lioldiiig" the auinial ti)\vii mcctinfi," was 
alternated between Hig-hlaiid F'alls and (-anterbury It was 
usual to charter a boat for the conveyance of voters from one 
section to tlie other, the land conmiunication beinj>,\ as before 
hinted, entirely inade(|uate. From time to time tlie question of 
dividing- tiie town was ag'itated, and during" the fall of the year 
last past, it resnlt<Ml in an application to the county Board oi' 
Supervisors for the purpose. A resolution was passed, without 
dissenting- voice, granting' the petition. All that part of the 
town to the south of a "line drawn from Siierwood's rock, on 
" Hudson's river, running- thence westerly to a house now oi- 
'■ recently occupied by William Lancaster; thence in a direct 
"line to the house of William ChatHeld; thence to the house of 
"John Odell; tiience to the hig-hest peak of Mount Rascal to 
"the line of the town of Monroe," was erected into a town by 
the name of " The Town of Highlands." All to the north of 
this line was erected as "The Town of Cornwall." Sherwood's 
rock, alluded to in the description, is the precipitous bluft" at the 
base of Cro'-nest, and so called from the fact that a man (^f that 
name lost his life, a number of years since, by falling- from that 
rock. 

From the intersection with the Monroe line, our town line 
then runs in a north-west direction, along- the lands of W. H. 
Smith (late Robert H. Berdell), until it strikes the south-east 
corner of the town of Blooming'-Grove; thence almost due north, 
along- Major Sherman's farm and throug'h the villag'e of Salis- 
bury, until it reaches the New Windsor line on the lands of 
Isaac Denniston. It then takes an easterly direction and con- 
tinues straig-ht on to the i-iver, passing- a little south of the 
former Vail's (xate station, on the Newburg-h Branch; throu,g-li 
Woodward's and (late) Judg-e (xeorg-e's lands, and coming- out 
at Sloop-hill, just far enong-h to the simth to leave the portly 
proprietor of the " Half-way House" in the town of New Wind- 
sor. From Sloop-hill the line follows the river up to Sherwood's 
rock, the point from which we started. It will be seen, by ref- 
erence to the map, that the area included by the line we have 
traced is quite larg-e. It embraces probably about fifteen thou- 
sand square acres. 

Throughout this area are scattered a nimiber of hamlets (tf 



32 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

wliicli brief mention may l)e made. In the extreme north-west 
corner is tlie villao^e of 

SALISBURY, 

part of it lyin,<>' in (.ornwall and part in the town of Bh)oming'- 
(Irove. Salisbury is situated on the banks of the Otter-kill or 
Moodna, as the stream has been indiscriminately called. The 
growth of the place is due to the valuable water-power which 
has here been eccmomized. The large and tine Paper-mill at 
this point is the one formerly'owned by Mr. Seaverns, who was 
murdered by Buffum. at Xewburgh. not long- since. To the east 
of Salisl)ury is 

BETHLEHEM, 

so called from the church of that name which was tirst erected 
in 1130, and of which particular account will be g-iven here- 
after. During the Revolution, the American troops lay encamp- 
ed for some time near the church. To the south-east of Bethle- 
hem, l)ut reached by an nidirect road, we come upon 

.MOrXTAIX-VILLE, 

foimerly called Ketchum-town. The settlement, since tlie 
erection of a depot on the Short-cut for its accommodation, 
has made vast promises of development. It is prettily located, 
with a sweep of both the Kamapo and Moodna valleys, and by 
reason of its contiguity to the Cornwall Mineral Spring, is 
destined to occupy a prominent positi(jn in the group of villages 
which will sooner or later dot our plains. The cottage on the 
knoll, to be seen from the cars, and but a minute's walk from 
the depot, is the residence of ex-Superyisor John Orr. The 
building to the east of the track is the Flour-mill of Mr. Price, 
formerly owned by Mr. Orr. Mountain-ville, since the building 
of the Short-cut, has received a very liberal share (jf the pat- 
ronage bestowed by city visitors To those who prefer an 
inland view of dale and hill, and desire to live beyond the in- 
fluence of the river and yet within easy access to it, this place 
offers superior inducements. 

HIGHLAND-VILLE 

is the next settlement of any consequence in this part of Corn- 
wall. We now take the turnpike and travel eastward, or rather 
north-eastward. The road is Hanked on either side bv the cot- 



BOUNDAKIES AND LOCALITIES. 33 

tages of oTir sturdy farmers, but wo meot with no settlement 
until we reach 

(UXTERBURY, 

which is by far the most considerable as it is the oldest settle- 
ment in the town. It is called after a place of the same name 
in the county of Kent, England. It is situated on the banks of 
a mountain stream which, finding its source in the hills beyond, 
empti(;s in the Hudson through the glen at Idle-wild, from which 
it takes the name of Idle-wild brook. P\)rmerly the water- 
power furnished by this brook was utilized by no less than ti\ e 
different mills ; but of late years, from some reason oi" other, 
probably the denudation of forest growth, it has become quite 
unreliable. The brick factory, now occupied by James Winne 
as a carpentry and joinery shop, was formerly used as a tan- 
nery. John Cromwell conducted the business for a number of 
years with considerable success, until the difficulty of procur- 
ing bark caused its al)and()nnient. The mill beside the Willow 
avenue bridge, was run by J. H. & W. Atkinson as a yarn and 
woolen-mill. The earliest settlement in this section was not 
where the present village of Cajiterbury stands. The first 
setthers located on the plain at the base of the mountains to 
the south. One of the earliest houses of whi<;h we have heard 
mention is that of Patrick Sutherland, which stood on the late 
farm of Justus Sackett. It was built of stone. No trace of it 
reniains. We have met but one living resident who remembers 
its existence. A stone, with the initials P. S. & W. S. and date 
1747, cut in rude figures, which came from this house, can now 
be seen in tlie fence in front of Mrs Concklin's residence on 
Clinton street. The date on the stone probably indicates the 
time when the house was built. 

Canterbury is a neat and thriving village. It contains tour 
meat markets, two boot and shoe stores, two tinsmiths and 
plumbers, four first class country stores, a baker, two black- 
smith shops, two carriage factories, a tailor shop, a barber, a 
milliner, several cream saloons, a druggist, &c. In fact the 
varied wants of not only the permanent residents, l)ut the tran- 
sient visitor, can be supplied here, and at reasonable prices. 
There is also a village inn, which, under the management of 
Mrs. Moore, has acquired an extended and well deserved repu- 



34 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

tation. There are tive churches in Canter l)ury, of which par- 
ticular mention will he made hereafter. The CorniraU post- 
office is located at Canterl)ury, and at ))r('seiit is ke|)t l)y Mr. A. 
M. Hollett. At the northern entrance to tiie viUag-e, on tiie 
west of the road, is seen a nuniher of tasty cottages which, 
under the name of Artizan's Row, give a good idea of the 
thrift of our Cornwall mechanics. 

After leaving' Canterbury, in following the road to the river, 
about mid-way between AVillis-ville and Canterbury, we come 
across a cluster of houses, forming the place known as 

GARNER-Vir.LE. 

It takes its name from that of a colored man, recently deceased, 
who owned several acres of ground, bordering the road at this 
point. The houses are of a simple and plain character, owned 
and occupied in main by mechanics and laborers. A slujrt dis- 
tance further and we arrive at 

WILMS-VII,I,E, 

formerly known as the Corners from the fact that a (juadrivivm 
is here formed by the convergence of four roads. The present 
name is given it, in honor of the poet ^Vi!lis, whose home at 
Idle-wild was in .close propinquity. The rapidity with which 
this part of Cornwall has grown, can not be ecpialled probably 
by any other town in the State. A decade ago, there were but 
a few scattering houses. Now it is thickly settled and land 
sold by the foot. The prominent buildings at this point will be 
noticed in the proper place. Distant from Willis-ville some- 
thing less than a mile is 

Hl\ KK-SIUK. 

In early times it was called the Hollow, and tlien the Land- 
ing. A recent suggestion that these names shouhl stand aside 
for the more euphonious one of Kiver-side, meets our approval, 
and as such we will continue to call it. Formerly, when all the 
products of the interior sought tide-water at this point, a dri- 
ving business was done here. The building of the Erie road 
and Branches, and a home market by reason of increased popu- 
lation, have diverted or arrested this traffic. The only impor- 
tance River-side now enjoys, is the position it occupies as gate- 
way to our town for those who approach us by water. The ex- 



BOUNDARIES AND LOCALITIES. 35 

pansion of tho settlement is forbid by natural laws, with which 
most of our readers are conversant. 

Retracing- our steps to (Canterbury we take the road for New- 
biu-gh, and a few minutes drive brinfz:s us to a collection of 
houses on tlH> westerly side of the road in the hollow. This is 
known as 

ROE-VILI-K, 

called after our townsman, Mr. James G. Roe, whose Glen- 
ridge House stands immediately to the west. The inhabitants 
are principally laborers, and the cottages, the result of their 
labor and frugal habits. Of late years, a tendency to draw this 
settlement up on higher ground and in towards Willow avenue, 
has been encouraged by Mr. Henry Hunter, who has opened a 
connecting road and placed his lands in the market in plots to 
suit purchasers. To the south-west of Roe-ville, but reached 
l)y the Montana Drive, is a small hamlet, 

MONTANA, 

which owes its existence to the mills of that name at this point. 
It consists almost exclusively of the homes of the mill operatives. 
—We have now brietiy reviewed all the settlements in Corn- 
wall, so that the reader may have a general idea of their situa- 
tion. There is no question more generally asked than the one: 
" Where is (Cornwall ?" There seems to be an ill-detined idea 
of the locality, not only among strangers, but among those who 
have been born and brought up near us. The general impres- 
sion seems to be that some particular hamlet, settlement or 
village is entitled to the name, whereas in fact Cornwall is the 
name of the whole town, embracing all the settlements we have 
named, and is a generic term with no exclusive right of pro- 
prietorship <jn the part of any specific section. A descriptive 
division has of late been attracting favor, whereby that portion 
occupying the broad table-land facing the river is designated 
Cornwall-on-the-Hudson; the mountain slopes, Cornwall Heights 
and the interior part, Cornwall. 



36 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



hiarciaraiiliiii. 



No other town in our state possesses a more peculiar ami re- 
markable chorography than Cornwall. Ku(;'ii>{'(l nimmtaiiis, I'er- 
tile plains, inviting- slopes, inuuense chasms, picturesque lakes, 
beautiful water-falls, silvery streams, with the noble Hudson 
laving- her feet, she possesses a diversity of land and water- 
scape unparalleled by that of any other town we know of. 

Of all the remarkable topographical features of our town, 
that which we may call 

THK ('(IKWVALl. HA^IN, 

is the most striking. To gain a complete i<lea ot the l)eauty 
and grandeur of this basin, the observer must take an elevated 
site, of which there are plenty along our mountain slopes, and 
look down as from a baloon upon the map spread out before him. 
The eye tirst grasps the bold and salient features of the view. 
The rim of the basin, struck in distinct outliiu' against the sky, 
by the Schunemunk, Shawangunk, Dutchess and('ornwall moun- 
tains, is tirst noted. Descending on all sides from the ridge 
formed by these mountain peaks, stretch the land-slopes, like 
the seats in some vast amjihitheatre. As the vision narrows, 
the New Windsor and Xewl)urgli plains recede from view, and 
the eye rests upon a somewhat circumscribed arena, which lies 
almost at our feet. This is the Cornwall basin. It is the result 
of one of those early upheavals of nature which date back be- 
yond the history of man. As we look upon it, we realize but 
faintly the power of that force within the earth which, when 
convulsed tossed up the mountains and framed the valleys. In 
the great tumult that ensued, as the mountains were raised, the 
waters settled in the valleys and remained there until their 
gradual subsidence into rivers, ('ornwall. New Windsor and 
Newburgh were at one time no doubt, a huge lake, and con- 
tinued so until drained bv the action of the elements in divor- 



B0UNDAIIIE8 AND LOCALITIES. 37 

cing- Storm-king- IVoni Brciik-neck. Bcfoio this intcnosting event, 
the waters evidently liad outlet throng-h the Schuneiniiiik valley, 
and thence through the Rainaix) tn the Jersey Hats. This supito- 
sition receives strong confiniiatioii IVnin tlie character nC our 
Cornwall hasui, which runs t'r<iui north-east to south-wi^'sl, and is 
traversed l)y two considerable ridges of land of unitorni shaix,', 
and lying in a precisely similar directi(jn to that of the basin. 

These ridges are almost parallel, and were formed by the ac- 
tion of the water in forcing its passage southward. The more 
northerly one, known as the Tf)wnsend Ridg'e, begins at the 
Friends' Meeting House on the depot road, and continues on to 
the Townscnd-hill. Its summit is occupied by the residences 
of Mr. Kaymond, Miss Hedges and Mrs. H. Tf)wnsend. The 
southerly ridge, called Cromwell Ridge, connnences in H. F. 
Chadcaync's orchard, on the turnpike, as it is sometimes called, 
and emerges in a ravine near Nicholas Cliatfield Jr.'s house. 
The land forming this ridge is owned by Mr. Chadeayne, the 
Titus estate, Mrs. Cromwell, \. Chatfield, Jr., Mrs. Townsend 
and Miss Hedges. Rising by easy grade to a consideral)le 
height above the intervening valleys, witli a sufficient breadth 
of surface and a commanding- view of our river and mountain 
scenery, these ridges are unexceptionably situated for building- 
sites. We hope to see them some day in the early future C(»ver- 
ed with beautiful villas. 

Between these twtt ridges, skirting the depot road to the south, 
lies a deep glen, whilst the valleys on the north and south are 
destined to play an important part in the future growth of Corn- 
wall. The valley to the south, or more strictly, south-east of 
Cromwell Ridge, is s(jmewhat circumscribed in extent, but its 
limited area is amply compensated by the remarkable beauty of 
the surroundings. Its shape is triangular and its sides formed 
on the south by the Cornwall mountains, on the east by that ele- 
vated tract of land known as Highland Park, and on the north 
by Cromwell Ridge. The land slopes gently from the hill sides 
to the centre, through which runs a small stream — a tiny rivulet 
at times — at others a swollen torrent of water. Tliis stream is 
fed by the springs of the adjacent Highlands, and running in 
an (easterly direction, forms the pond to the north of the Corn- 
wall track, from which it empties into Idle-wild brook by the 
c 3 



38 TOWN OF COllNWALL. 

old stone Iiouhc on the West Point road. An outlet to the val- 
ley on the east is formed by the defile between Hig'hland Park 
and the mountains, known as tiie Deer-hill ravine. The outlet 
on the west is through a f^orge which connects the valley in 
question with the Schunemunk valley. A survey before us 
shows the grades from the Short-cut, at a point near Mountain- 
ville, to the Hudson. It appears that a railroad can be built 
over the route, at a comparatively trilling expense and with a 
remarkably easy grade. The distance is only four miles and a 
half, about the same as it is between the Landing and the Corn- 
wall depot. 

The importance of the valley under consideration lies in the 
fact that it forms the link in that mighty chain of unbroken 
trans-IIudson railway which some day in the early or late future, 
is destined to unite the producers of the west with the consum- 
ers of the east. We say the link, because at no other point on 
the Hudson can a similar link be found. They may talk and 
write of a bridge at Poughkeepsie, and of one at Fort Montgom- 
ery, but no practical railroad man would ever give the idea a 
second thoiight. The cost of providing the ajjproaches at either 
of the points named, and of overcoming the grades, would 
double that of the bridge itself. The only spot where the 
Hudson can be economically and successfully spanned is between 
Storm-king and Break-neck. Nature lias fixed the channels ol 
commerce, and though man sometimes circumvents or diverts 
them, he finds in the end that he does so at his cost. 

We have before hinted at, and need not now dwell on the effect 
a suspension bridge at Storm-king will have on the future ititer- 
ests of Cornwall. The valley we are speaking of does not derive 
its importance ahme from the railroad privileges for which 
nature has marked it. It possesses advantages of another order. 
Its sloping lands, with their magnificent views, furnish inviting 
sites for the rural homes of the wealthy. Those who have never 
visited the plateau which lies to the south, and immediately 
under the shade of the mountain by which it is backed, have no 
idea of the scope and granduer of Cornwall scenery. This plat- 
eau, which is easy of access and rises gradually to the very 
summit of the mountain peaks, and extends backwards to the 
Mineral Spring, we name 



BOUNDAKIES AND LOCALITIES. 39 

l!KOAtt-VIK\V. 

Their is nut a spot along its whole length that fails to com- 
mand a view of unequalled scope. The eye iaiily wearies with 
the immensity of the range. In every direction, except imm<'- 
diately to your back, the vision is limitless. The view from 
Highland Park and Champlin Hill is said to be grand, and so it 
is ; but from Broad-view yoti have the same, and in addition the 
whole of the Schunemunk mountains and the beautiful valley of 
the same name. On a clear day you can s<'c the Sullivan coun- 
ty district, which we believe is distant over fifty miles. The 
Broad-view slope has other advantages besides its prospect. 
Owing to the peculiar slant of the land, an inexpensive road of 
easy grade can be built to reach any part. One of the most 
serious objections to elevated sites where fine views are had, is 
the tedious and toilsome ascent. But here we have an extensive 
tract, to the very summit of which a horse can trot with an 
average load. In addition to this, there are on the upp(;r side 
innumerable springs of living water bursting from the moun- 
tain's ribs, waiting only for the hand of man to turn tliem to use. 
The valley to the north of Townsend Ridge, shut in on tin- 
west by rugged cliffs, opens on the east in that expanded tract of 
country which may be properly called the 

TABLE LANDS OF CORNWALL. 

They stretch from the base of Storm-king to Sloop-hill, thence 
south-westerly along the Moodna, following the course of that 
stream to the brow of Montana-hill, from which they take a 
south-easterly direction, so as to include the whole of Canter- 
bury, Willis-ville and River-side. 

This broad and beautiful tract of land will receive attention 
in another connection. Our present purpose is with the 

VALLEY OF THE MOODNA. 

It is hardly proper to dignify the region in questicm with the 
name of valley. It is more strictly a gulch, formed by the 
waters of the Moodna in their efforts to reach the Hudson. The 
stream of this name is the principal one in the town, which it 
enters near Salisbury. From the Townsend bridge to Sloop-hill. 
where it empties, its descent is rapid, furnishing a highly valua- 
ble water power, which was economized prior to the Revolution, 



-10 



TOWN OF COllNWALL. 



is yet in considerable use and is destined in the lutnre to he the 
means of a driving industry. 

The first in order of place to utilize this power are the g'rist 
and flour mills of J. & W. Orr, located a slioii distance to the 
north of Townsend bridge. The site now occupied by these 
mills, was, from a very early day, used for a similar purpose. 
In 1864 the old mill was taken down, and the Messrs. Orr erected 
the present l)uildings, which for convenience, commodiousness 
and perfection of machinery are equal to any in the country. 

Not far distant from the Orr estal)lishment are the Paint- 
mills, now in disuse. Tlu^y were built a few years snice with a 
view of manufacturing' paint from a peculiar stone convenient 
to the spot. After a brief experiment, operations were suspend-, 
ed and they have ever since remained idle. The ]iroperty is 
now owned by Thomas Dumville. 

As we follow the Aloodna towards its mouth we next come 
upon the Cornwall Woolen-mills. In 1869, these mills came 
under the rnanagmenl of ¥. W. Bnjadhead, a gentleman of long 
and varied experience in the manufacture of woolens. About 
125 hands find employment here, and the works are carried on 
by both steam and water power. 

Still descending the stream, we reach the extensive Paper- 
mills of Erastus Ide 
& (jo. These mills 
have been long and 
'avoral)ly k n own. 
ley employ a nu- 
merous train of njie- 
ra lives. N e x t in 
order and not tar 
i'nui w li e I'c t h e 

M Ilia mingles its 

waters with the 
flow of the Hudson, are the former Linen-mills of Whiteside 
& Co. The visitor can put in a day very pleasantly inspect- 
ing these ditterent hives of industry and art. The proprietors 
are genial gentlemen and take pleasure in exhibiting the 
secrets of the "loom" and "Imrr," to such as call nn them. 
An additional inducement to visit them is the inviting lieautv 




BOUND AKIES AND LOCALITIES. 4I 

ol' tlic (hives liy which tlicy ;ii-(' MpiiroachcMl. To vom-h tlic 
Wudh'ii-iiiills. you take Willow avenue at Caiiterliury, and con- 
tinue on until the hrow ol' Montaini-hill is reached. In the deep 
<i-len het'ore you, i-onlined on all sides \)\ toweriiif;' hills, nestles 
the handet, Montana. To the extreme north, half hid by the 
intervening- slope, stand the Woolen-mills. You descend the 
hill which is remarkably steej), and a sliu-ht detour to the rig'ht 
bring-s you to tiic gate of the mills. At the foot of Muntana- 
hill the road makes an abrujit turn to the south, — so abrupt as 
to cause a doubt of its being a distinct road of itself, or merely 
a continuation of Willow avenue. To dispel the doubt, we may 
say, Wdluw avenue terunnates at the top of Montana-hill, and 
from that jxiint to Townsend iiridge, the road takes the name of 

.\r(»XTAX.\ DRIVE. 

This is one of the most romantic and picturesque drives in 
Cornwall. The road, which is constantly ascending, is skirted 
by immense pines and spruces, through which now and then is 
gained a glimpse of the Moodna, tumbling and roaring in the 
gorge below, scores of feet away. As the Townsend bridge 
comes in sight, a spot is reached from which a most enchanting 
view is to be had. It has frecpiently challenged the admiration 
of pronnnent artists who have visited Cornwall. 

The road by which the Linen and Paper mills are reached, is 
of almost equal beauty, and possesses besides an absorbing in- 
terest from its Revolutionary associations, which will be spoken 
of hereafter. It lies m a different direction. Leaving the Corn- 
wall and Newburgh road at the long bridge which spans the 
Mo<.)dna at its mouth, it takes a southerly direction, following 
the line of that stream, which it eventually crosses by the 
lM-idgt> at the foot of Forge-hill. The Linen-mills are the first 
you meet, whilst the Paper-mills are further on. This is the 

MOOnXA DRIVE, 

and for wild, w^eird and picturesque surroundings, it is difficult 
to equal. The rt)ad has a serpentine course, and steals its way 
along the bed of the glen, annd tangling undergrowth and lofty 
trees. The cascade near the bridge at the foot of Forge-hill, is 
of remarkable beauty. But of these tilings we shall come to 
speak in another connection. 



42 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 




emjjfritttir^. 



Among intelligent physicians now-a-days, there is a growing 
tendency to fulhjw the advice of the poet and " throw physic to 
the dogs." The "heroic" treatment of disease is found to kill 
more than it cures. Dosing and drugging are but seldom re- 
sorted to by the skilled physician. He relies for cure upon that 
ms preservatrix with which our mother nature has gifted the 
weakest of us. It is a strange fact, yet true, that the art medi- 
cinal, after two thousand years of experimenting, should work 
itself, like the sidereal bodies, back to the point in its orbit from 
which it started. The afflicted must learn to recognize this fact 
before they experience relief They must aband(ju the materia 
medica and adopt a more simple and reliable means of cure. 
Tlie stomach and the lungs are the mortara in which nature 
mixes her drugs. In all diseases, especially those of a chronic 
nature, proper food for the stomach, and fresh, pure air for the 
lungs, are the grand remedial agents. Witliout them no pro- 
gress can be made. 

In pulmonary complaints the great benefit derived from " air 
treatment" are of so marked a character that patients were ibr- 
merly invariably ordered to the Bahamas, the South, or the 
Lake Superior region. The air of these sections was found 
beneficial, and acted as a sedative to the wounded lungs, but 
the restorative process was interfered with by the compulsory 
return of the patient to the East. The calls of business, or 
the longing for home and its attachments, rendered a prolonged 
al)seuce impossible. Hence the permanent relief expected from 
change of scene and air, was not realized. 

About twenty years since, the poet, Willis, who was a con- 
iirmed cunsuujptive, happened to pass the sunnner at Cornwall. 
The symptoms of the diseas(> which had fasti'iied on him, under 



CLIiMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 43 

the intiuencc of our mountain air became suddenly more favor- 
able. He was quick to detect the change, and, woo'd by the 
grandeur of our Highland scenery, he 8ecured a romantic site 
and erected the cottage which, under the name of Idle-wild, is 
known wherever the English tongue is spoken. Here he made 
his home, and in a series of delightful letters to the Home Jour- 
nal, with which he was at that time connected, from time to 
time informed a sympathetic public of the steps by which his 
health was restored. His conspicuous position in the world of 
letters — the change in his appearance, which his friends could 
not fail to observe — the seductive style in which he couched his 
experience — the word-pictures he drew of our Highland terrace 
— each and all contributed tiicir due proportion to that fame 
into which Cornwall suddeidy sprung. 

Others, similarly afflicted, soon followed and with similar 
results. Since that time the victims of phthisis by scores and 
hundreds have tlocked to Cornwall, generally under the advice 
of physicians, and have experienced the most favorable results. 
We could give any number of well authenticated cases of con- 
sumptives relieved, and not a few of perfect cures. Our present 
purpose, however, is with the cause of this peculiai- therapeutic 
property of Cornwall air. 

That there is something peculiar in Cornwall air, every one 
who has ever visited the place is free to admit. The tirst sen- 
sation is that of hanger — the second, sleep. For a number of 
years we have been in the habit of entertaining city friends in 
our Cornwall home. They have come, representing all condi- 
tions of health — some robust, some delicate — but in one respect 
they all agreed: in excusing their appetite at the table and in 
seeking the friendly embrace of the lounge after dinner. There 
is something remarkable in the uniformity of this testimony to 
the potency of Cornwall air. A good appetite and ability to 
sleep well, are the most encouraging signs of actual or return- 
ing health, and their appearance are hailed by the invalid with 
the most hopeful emotions. 

Our Cornwall air is not only peculiar in character, but limited 
in extent. Several winters since, we were in the habit of daily 
passing over the Cornwall and Newburgh road. A certain 
spot on the way, when reached, invariably attracted our atten- 



44 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

tion, as marking" a change in the air. However eng-ag-ed our 
mind might be, the crossing of tliis atniofipherw line avresied our 
thoughts. So confident were we of its existence that we fre- 
quently hazarded the remark, that we could be hood-winked and 
conveyed over different roads, with a view to deception, yet 
when that particuh^r spot was reached, we woukl know it. We 
made a note of the fact at tlie time for future use. We have 
since come across a letter of Mr. Willis, written twenty years 
ago, wherein he mentions the same phenijuienon. The coinci- 
dence of observation is easily accounted for. At the time of 
our first coming to Cornwall, we were afflicted with a long- 
standing throat complaint (now happily cured), which rendered 
our bronchial tubes, like the lungs of Mr. Willis, as sensitive to 
atmospheric change as is the galvanometer to the touch of the 
electric current. That the climate at any place should be vari- 
able within so circumscribed limits, is not at all remarkal)le. 
In California, a two hours' ride on a railroad (if built) from 
Stockton, with the thermometer at 100 degrees, would place the 
traveler (ju the sides of the Sierra Nevada, the region of eter- 
nal IVost. The line of which we speak, as marking the confines 
ol mountain air, begins at the river's edge a little south of 
Sloop-hill, and extends westerly to the Schuneminik range. 
You cross this line to tlie north, and yon breathe a difterent 
atmosphere. 

In accounting for the peculiar effects of Cornwall air, we are 
unwillingly led to the domain of speculation. We liave not, 
unibrlunately, any record of metereological observations which 
would furnish data for generalizations. Nijtes of the tempera- 
ture, the pressure of the barometer, the amount of rain-fall and 
direction of the wind, have never been taken for any continued 
or extended period of time. VVe are indebted to Mr. Ruttenber's 
history * for some remarkable facts upon this subject, which, 
although relating to Newburgh, are, nevertheless, by reason of 
C(un wall's propinquity (five miles) of interest. The returns 
made to the Regents of the University, embracing the observa- 
tions taken during a period of thirteen years, gave the average 
lem)>erature of Newburgh as 49:16, or a fraction of a degree 
colder than the temperature due to latitude and elevation. 

* " History of the Town of NewbiirRh." 



(ILIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 4:, 

Sliiulbusli liluoiiis there six days earlier than in other portions 
of the valley of the Ihulson ; jK'aeh, eight days ; plum, liv<> 
days ; eheiry, eleven days ; iipple, eight days, and lilac, two 
days ; while the tirst killing frost occurs thirteen days later than 
at others. The early appearance oi' bud and hlossoin in the 
spring-, and the tardy approach of frost in tiie fall, are no doul)t 
owing- to the sheltered position of our Cornwall basin, of which 
Xewburg'h is the outer rim. We are hemmed in on all sides by 
ag-reeably distant and lofty mountains. 

The physical geog-rai)hy of the town exerts a marked intiu- 
ence upon her climate. Cornw^all is situated iii a valley which 
is a sort of oti-shoot of the Ramapo, up which the storm-winds 
of the ocean drive, laden with the purest and freshest of air. 
Sweeping- through the Moodna, they come to us in all their deli- 
cious sweetness, driving- before them, and beyond our limits, all 
impurities and poisonous exhalations. Now if we ascend the 
hill-sides, w^e gain the additional advaiitag-e of heig-ht above the 
sea-level and breathe an air chemically pure. 

An early question with all enquirers about our place, is as to 
the temperature in summer. Is Cornwall cool ? Our observa- 
tion upon this point prompts us to reply, that the noons at Corn- 
wall are probably a shade warmer than the latitude would 
warrant, but tne emnings and nights are almost invariably cool. 
It is at!ected by the same natural laws which influence the tem- 
perature of other basin localities. The air becoming- heated by 
the mid-day sun, rapidly ascends, and the valley-winds rush in 
to take its place, g-iving- rise to that delicious coolness of eve- 
nings for which the greater part of Cornwall is noted. We say 
the greater part, for there are some localities that fail, by reason 
of their situation, to g-et the full benefit of these winds, which 
usually blow fntm the south-west and north-east. The sun and 
wind, l)oth g'reat evaporators, tend to make our atmosphere a 
dry one. There are times, o\ course, when it is humid, but as a 
g-eneral thing- it is remarkably free from moisture, and especial- 
ly so as we ascend the slopes and reacli the mountain summits. 
If there is such a thing in nature as an air chemically pure, we 
have it in Cornwall. Tlie lofty range of mountains which mark 
our southern boundary, not oidy act as a barrier to the march 
of salt air, but form a screen against those raw and searching- 



4H 



TOWN or COKNWALL. 



east winds which are as death to one witli weak lungs. The 
land shjping' on all sides and dipping towards a common centre, 
with a porous sub-soil, is a natural cullender, with no chance 
for that soil-moisture which is now admitted on all hands to be 
the cause of the typhoid state. The rivulets and brooks, leap- 
ing from rock to rock in their rapid descent to the river, with 
their pebbled bottoms, proclaim, in unmistakable language, the 
absence of malaria. 




ACCESSIBILITY. 47 



^i:ce.HHibiliti|* 



The three tiling's which conspire to g'ive Cornwall the promi- 
nence it enjoys are, 1st, The salubrity of the air ; 2d, The 
beauty of the scenery; and 3d, Its accessibility to the city. 
Upon the latter point we may say that Cornwall is distant 
about tifty-five miles from the city, and is reached eithcn- by rail 
or water. The water communications are numerous and, with 
two exceptions, unequalled by those of any other place on the 
Hudson. There; are eig'ht first class river steamers stopping- at 
Cornwall. At the head of the list stands the well deserved 
favorite, the Mary Powell. She leaves New York, foot of Ves- 
try street, every day at 3|, P. M., reaching- Cornwall about half- 
past six. She leaves Cornwall every morning- at about eight 
o'clock, arriving- in New York at eleven. 

Next comes the Rondout boats : the Baldwin and Cornell. 
One or the other of them leaves foot of Harrison street every 
day at 4, P. M., and Cornwall every evening- at 9^ o'clock. 
Then there is the River Queen and Walter Brett leaving- foot of 
Spring- street every day at 4| o'clock and Cornwall every eve- 
ning- at 9 o'clock. The four last named, the Baldwin, Cornell, 
Brett, and River Queen, are mostly eng-aged in freighting, but 
they are fine, large and fast steamers, with every accommoda- 
tion and comfort for passengers. The next to be mentioned are 
the Albany boats, the Chauncey Vibbard and Daniel Drew — 
both of them splendid boats and run by able, courteous officers. 
They leave foot of Vestry and 34th streets about 8, A.M.; return- 
ing- leave Cornwall about 3, P. M., and reach New York about 
6 o'clock. There are two other steamboats touching at Cornwall, 
but as they are only intended for the accommodation of the river 
towns and way traffic, we forbear further mention. 

The above comprises the accommodations with ('ornwall by 



4S TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

water. Tlie sail ui)tli(' river occupies aliout three hours, dei)ei)d- 
iug- somewhat upon the wind and tide. It- is needless, in this 
connection, to call attention to the delig-htful character of the 
trip. The scenery is unsurpassed by any in the world and each 
succee(lino- feature in the landscape, consecrated as it is by 
association with our Revolutionary history, furnishes an endless 
source oi" attraction. 

Coininunication with Oornwall by rail possesses like advanta- 
o-es. It is reached by either the Hudson Kiver Railroad, or by 
what is coiiuuonly called the Short-cut, a branch of the Erie, built 
some four years since. The route by the Hudson River road is 
not t(^ be reconnnended, under the present time-talile. Th<» only 
trains stopping at the Storm-king- station are slow ones and 
tedious. Then the crossing- of the river is effected in a row-boat 
which, thoug'h safe, is not attractive to people with weak nerves. 
A few years since a charter was obtained for a steam ferry-boat 
at this point, with the promise that all the fast trains would 
stop, during" the summer, at the Cornwall station. It has not 
as yet be(Mi established. Until it is, we would advise all who take 
the Hudson River road to continue on to Fishkili, there cross 
to Newburg'h, where they will find stages for ('ornwall (five 
miles distant) in waiting*. 

The route above all others for dispatch and convenience \s via 
the Erie Short-cut. It is the pleasantest because free from dust 
and the noisy concussion of the Hudson River road, and because 
of the broad-guage and luxurious coaches. It is the quickest, 
because it leaves the business man at his store or office. White 
Plains, thirty miles from New York, is further oft' to the business 
man than Cornwall at fifty-five. An hour's ride on the Harlem 
road followed by another hour's dandiny in one of the street 
cars, is far more tedious and trying" than two hours' ride on the 
Short-cut. The time between Cornwall and New York {not 
upper New York, but the business pait of the city, Cliambers 
street), is two hours. The trains are moved to suit out-of-the- 
city people, and for this reason there is no trai n/'rom the city 
until about 9 o'clock in the morning", and this is a slow train, not 
reaching" Coiiiwall until about noon. Reg"arding" the time-table 
irom Cornwall, we have all that could be desired. Two fast 
trains leave ('ornwall every day at about 7 and S, A. M., reach- 



ACCESSIBILITY. iw 

iiig' New York aliont 9 ;nul 10, A. M. Kctmiiiiiu-, leave the city 
at lialf-past tliree and four, P. M., reaching Cijnivvall bel'ore six 
and seven, P. M. Wv do not pretend to be (!xact. as some 
modifications in the time-talih- are mach' each season, and the 
time and point of (h'partnre in the city f<»r the boats is occa- 
sionally altered. The arrangements wc have given are those 
that liave prevailed for several years past and are likely to 
continue with increased facilities.* The information is furnished 
for the benefit of those in the city whose first question is, " How 
am I to get to Cornwall .?" 

Whilst speaking of thv jn'esmf accessibility of Cornwall, we 
wotdd be doing our town an injustice, were we not to alhule in 
brief to the /'(/i*'/r. The building of the West-shore railroad 
may be looked upon as a certainty. It is oidy a matter of time. 
Operations on the tunnel at West Point have been prosecuted 
for a year })ast, and the present indications are favorable to an 
early com])letion ot the road. Mr. Courtney, the President of 
the road, has recently jturchased for a residence the villa prop- 
erty at Cornwall, known as Idle-wild, formerly the home of the 
poet Willis. The \\'est-sliore road is to be built and etjuipped 
entirely ditferent from any other railroad in the country. The 
ruling idea in its construction will be to increase the rate of 
speed, having it appioximate if not exceed that which prevails 
in England. With this object in view, we are told, a train ol' 
cars and engine modeled after the English vans, have been 
ordered, and when the road is built, they will be placed on it 
between Newburgh and New York as a "buzzing train," run- 
tiing several times a day and making the distance between 
Cornwall and the city within an hour. 

* The time-tables for the current year will be fouud iu the Appeudix. 



50 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 




|.i«rinQ. 



The Cornwall Mineral Spring- is situatod in a deep gorge of 
the mountain, at an altitude oi' many hundred feet above the 
plain beneath, less than two niile« from the Mountain-ville depot, 
and about five miles from Canterbury. The road by which it 
is reached after leaving- the turnpike, is -rather precipitous, and 
in a barely passable condition. Like other mountain roads in 
this vicinity, owing to the wash as well as the hauling of heavy 
loads with locked wheels, it is difficult to keep in repair. A 
slight alteration in the line would ease the grade and make it a 
capital road. However tedious the ascent may be to the " fast 
people of a fast age," the patience of the tourist is amply re- 
warded when the summit is reached. Here a view of almost 
unparalleled scope, beauty, and grandeur strikes the observer. 
A plain of boundless extent, dotted with trees, houses, and 
waving grain " white unto the harvest," lays stretched out at 
the feet as a map, whilst the grassy slope, rising in the dis- 
tance up to the very crown of the verdure-clad Schunemunk 
and Shawangunk mountains, almost weary the eye with the 
immensity of its range. Paltz-point and the Sullivan region 
can be plainly discerned on a clear day. 

The Spring is approached over a grass-grown path, through a 
forest, the density of whose foliage efiectually excludes the 
sun. Even before you near the spot, the fall of distant waters 
comes gently to the ear, in tunely keeping with the waving 
branches and chirping songsters of the grove. As you wend 
your way over the tortuous path, through the copse-wood, shut 
in by trees and rocks from the outer world, a sense of solitude 
steals over you, and makes you feel, in the words of the lamented 
Willis, 

" Alone ! alone ! how drear it is, 
Always to be alone !" 



MINEKAL SPRING. 51 

The waters whose muriiiur we just lieanl — ^tlie living' waters 
are now seen leapini;' from rock to rock ; the roeks I'orininj;" a 
g'igantic stair-way, wliieli nii}i;lit have served sitine Titan of old 
to reach his casth' on tin- hill. A few rods IVoni the pool at the 
base of tliese stony stairs, a small rocky basin is formed by the 
hand of nature, and HIUmI to the brim with th(,' nn'neral water. 
Choked up with leaves, with no (nitlct, your first eftbrts will be 
directed to clearing the Spring-, which a moment's work with a 
convenient twig- will accomplish. Now for a draught ! The 
water is deliciously cool ; that, too, when it is taken from 
the surface as it oozes out. Lower the Spring by sinking it into 
the earth, and yon would lower the temperatnre several degrees 
more. The taste is strongly astringent, giving uiunistakable 
evidence that iron is the predominating element. You also get 
an almost unappreciable touch of snlphur, and a vivid imag- 
ination might detect its peculiar odt)r. However this may be, 
there are certainly well defined traces of snlphur in the Spring 
and all about it. The leaves, the ground, and stones, are all 
stained with an ocherous color, suggestive of the abode of the 
p]vil One with the cloven foot. A cup left in the water for a 
few days, will become dyed with a beautiful color impossible to 
remove. 

We had intended furnishing an analysis of the water in the 
present edition of this work, and for that purpose had placed a 
specimen in the hands of Professor Endemann, the able and expe- 
rienced chemist to the Board of Health in New York. After 
waiting some time for the result of his labors, we were told the 
quantity sent was insufficient for a quantitative analysis. He 
writes us, however, that the water contains 9.57 grains of salts 
in one gallon. "It is especially rich — and that is notable — in 
phosphate of soda, silica and bi-carbonate of iron." Those fa- 
miliar with the analysis of similar waters, will be forcibly struck 
by the uinisval preponderance of the mineral Kails, and when it 
is remembered that the virtue of any chalybeate water depends 
not alone on the amount of iron, but its combination with the 
phosphate of soda, an idea may be had of the value of the 
Cornwall Mineral Spring water as a therapeutical agent. Pro- 
fessor Endemaini asserts, that the water has all the constituent 
elements of the celebrated Concord Sjiriiig waters, which have 



52 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 

perfbrmcd .sucli marvellous cures in cases of consumption. Ac- 
cording to Professor Chanler's analysis, the Concord ^>pring 
contains but 5.9 grains of solids in one gallon. The Cornwall 
Spring has the same mineral ingredients. These waters arc 
not without a local reputation, 'fhey have long i)eeii favorably 
known i\)r their curative properties. Tradition affirms that the 
Indians were in the habit of resorting to them for their healing 
powers. During the building of the Xewburgh Branch of the 
Erie Railroad, the laborers engaged in its construction, were 
seized with an opthalmic affection, which assumed the i'orm of 
an epidemic. At the instance of Henry F. Chadeayne, Esq.. ot 
Canterbury, they were induced to try the mineral waters, inter- 
nally and as a lotion. The effect was almost miraculous — a 
cure resulting in a very few days in every case. Numerous 
other instances of well accredited cures, in diseases requiring 
tonics and mild alteratives, have been brought to our attention, 
but to mention them in detail is beyond our present purpose. 
We content ourselves with citing the general effects produced 
from drinking the water. Why it is so, we are unable to say. 
The similarity it bears to the Birch Dale Springs would indicate 
that the properties of the two waters are identical, and the mar- 
velous cures reported of the one, can easily be effected by the 
other. Judging from this standard, we should say that the 
Cornwall Mineral Spring will be found invaluable in the treat- 
jnent of consumption, scrofula, rh(>umatism, dyspepsia, diseases 
of the liver, kidneys, urinary affections, and all diseases origin- 
ating in an impure state of the blood. 

The practical conclusions to be drawn from what we have 
said, are, that Cornwall possesses, in this Spring, an attraction 
which can, under proper managenuMit, make her equal, if not 
excell, Saratoga. Let us briefly state our reasons : The first 
advantage is the superior accessibility of the Spring io Metropo- 
litans, being within two hours' ride by rail and three by water. 
Second — The surpassing coolness and salubrity of our mountain 
air, which has become so noted all over the country that physi- 
cians now send their patients here instead of to the Superior re- 
gions. We have here now, families from Missouri and Louisiana, 
recommended l)y their local physicians. Third — The medicinal 
value of the min(!ral water. I'nlike the sulphur s|)rings of Cana- 



MINERAL SPRING. 



53 



da, Virg'inia, and other |)arts, tlie water is >s<i a^Tceahle that it 
can h(! drunk with ph'asiire. Unlike the Saratoji^a water, it can 
1)0 tak(>n nd lihitinn without producing' tiiat sense of oppression 
wliicli the <>"ases in Congress water ahiiost invarialtly i)roduce. 
Fourth — The remarkable beauty of the surrounding scenery, 
and the g"randeur of the g'rounds ininiediately adjac(Mit to the 
spring. It would be difficult to describe the latter. Nature 
has done everything- here, leaving' nothing for art. A more 
weird, picturesque spot it would be difficult to find, Hug-e, 
massive boulders massed up on all sides in rough fantastic 
shapes ; here forming a ca\e, there a grotto ; the trackless 
mountains to the south ; the clouds stupendous overhead ; the 
joyous birds in the branches ; the gently sighing wind ; the 
tangled coppice ; all attend to produce a scene that a city eye 
would revel in. 




o4 



TOWN OF CORNWALL 



tK! 411^ 




QriTE a miiiiber of feet above tlie Hnw nf tli(> lludsdii. in tlic 
i'iig'p:ed and jivecipitons lireasl-tioiie <»!' "nld (Jro'-iicst." was dis- 
covererl, in the fall of ISTO. a Iniuc caxcvn, wliicli tVnin its 
situation and tln' furimis M'inds that prevail in the Hi^dilands, 
may liave li(>en tlie alxxle of tlie .Eolian kin,i;'. The lines of 
Vir.Li'il will al once lie suu'^'ested to every I'cailer of the poet : 
-Hie vastro rex ^Eoliis antm 



Luctantes ventoK, tempestatesque sonoras 
Iinperio premit, ai' vinclis et ttarcerp fra^nat." 



It reipiires no o-yeat stretch of the imag-ination to fancy the 
exasperated Jnno traversing- the waters of the Hudson, instead 
of those of the Mediterratiean, and coming- to the top of old 
"Gro'-nest," instead of the land of Sicily. 



CRO'-NEST CAVE. 55 

But layiuji- rumiiucc ;iimI poetry aside, tlic discovery of tlie 
cave ill (lucstioii was an eveiil of considerable iiii|»ortaiice. Its 
pai-tiul exploi'atioii has already led to revelations oj' an mter- 
estint;- kind, and a more tliorouiili examination may throw 
additional li^'ht upon a period in our history which always 
enchains the attention of the reader. At the time referred to, 
a party ol' villai;-ers paid a visit to the cave, and whilst within 
the dark and dreary chanilier. came a(;ross several coin, three 
of which are in our possession, and are worthy of a detailed 
description. Twt> are of silver and the rtMuaining- one of copper. 
The silver are evidently a Spanish six-pence and siiilliug-, being 
about the size, as well as we remember, of those coin. The 
inscription is th(> same on (>ach. The obverse pres(!Uts a head 
with the marginal words: '•Carolmlll * Dei gratia * 1782." 
The reverse has the well known inllar of Hercules and the in- 
scription, '' Bispan ef Ind. re.ry The copper coin is of the size 
of an old fashitmed cent, and has on the obverse a rnde represen- 
tation of a horse's head above and a primitive plow beneath. 
The horse's head, however, is something like the cow the 
Frenchman drew. For fear it might be taken for some other 
aiumal, he wrote beneath, "This is a cow." The plow is ol' the 
kind used anterior to the improvement in the mould-board by 
Jetterson. There are two stilts, an upturned beam, with an 
old fashioned coulter beiu-ath, and at the end a set of whittie- 
trees. Th(! inscription, ''Nam Cesarea,'' encircles the horse's 
head. The reverse has a heart-shaped shield with the words, 
"E jihirihm iniam:' rnfortunately, the date of the coin has 
been effaced. It is one of what is known to numismatists as the 
"New Jersey cent." issued while that state was one of the 
provinces of Great Britain. 

Taking the date of the silver pieces, we have the fact eslal>- 
lished that they were deposited or left in the cave snbse(pient 
to the year 1782. When and l«y whom r It could not have 
been by the Revolutionary refugees, who fre(piently s.mght such 
places for concealment at times, for the war was ended and 
amnesty proclaimed. It could not have been by "spies" or 
"look-outs," who occasionally occupied the mountain tops, for 
with the treaty of peace their occupation, like Othello's, was 
g-one. It may have been by free-booters, or by some anchorite 



56 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

miser, in either of which case, the probability would be in favor 
of additional treasure being- found on further search. Nor can 
they be relics of the famed Captain Kidd, for althoug"h many an 
one recalls the familiar cognomen, "Kidd's Pocket-book," so 
long- localized here, and although that great marauder has 
fathered so much mythical treasure-trove that any theory which 
associates Ins name with it is the most likely to be received by 
the mass of people, the fact remains that he expiated his offen- 
ces on the gallows an hundred years or so before these coins 
were minted. 

Besides the coin, other interesting relics, and specimens of 
the cave formation, were brought to light. One of the party 
returned with a g-ood-sized specimen of mica (the isin-glass 
of commerce), which he had broken from the side of the cave. 
The (quality was inferior, being of a crumbling- nature and of a 
dark brown color. It is probable that it exists in large (luan- 
tities, when we consider the formation of the mountain granite. 
Another of the party brought back a stalagmite of good dimen- 
sions. Mr. P^)ley found a stone in which are strong traces of lead. 
Mr. Baulsen picked up, on the floor of the cave, a bone. which 
has every appearance of having belonged to the human frame. 

The re-discovery of this cave, after the lapse of so many 
years — for it was well known anterior to as well as during the 
Revolution- — has revived the interest excited by the tirst publi- 
cation of Cooper's thrilling- novel, "The Spy," which was found- 
ed upon the adventures of Enoch Crosby. Barnum, in "The 
Spy Unmasked," gives the narrative of (Uosby, and the story 
follows the facts so closely that it is pretty generally accepted 
as history. The narrative recites: 

The Committee of Safety, then ('1771) in session at Fishkill, 
had received information that an English officer was engaged 
in the Highlands, secretly recruiting a company from those 
disaffected to the American cause. Crosby was sclecteil to as- 
certain the particulars. He crossed the river to Marlborough, a 
little north of Newburgh, and, taking a soutli-westerly direc- 
tion, traveled a distance of some twelve miles, bringing- up at a 
farm-house near the foot of the mountains in Cornwall. Here 
he engaged as a hired hand to lielp with the work on the farm. 
He was quick to detect that the farmer was a tory, though 



CRO'-NEST (^AVE. ;-,7 

artVctiii"- an ill-diso-iiised neutrality. '!'•» i'm-tlicr his plans, Cros- 
by avowed himself as a Britisher at heart, and anxious to i^-et 
" Ixdow." Th(? farmer at once laid asid<' all reserve, and oliered 
to help him. "Do you see yond(;r mountain ?" he exelaimed, 
" on the side of it is a i-urious litth* eave that's been dti<;' o' 
purpose; but you might pass it a hundred tinn's without know- 
ing,- th(!re was such a thing- there. In that cave an Eng-lish 
Captain keeps himself concealed; and we, who are in the secret, 
supply him with everything- lu^art can wish. He is recruiting- 
among- the Highlands, and has nearly g-ot his com)»any tilled." 
It was soon arrang'ed that the farmer should conduct ('rosby to 
the "cave of the mountain " and make him acquainted with its 
hermit recruiter. The same iiig-ht they set out. "On arriving- 
at the eastern side of the lofty eminence which (jur hero's con- 
ductor had pointed out to him in the morning-, they paused near 
a clump of dwarf cedars which grew at its base. In front of 
them was a dark-looking- ol)ject, which proved to be a huge rock 
cleft in twain by some concussion of the elements, or by a pre- 
cipitous descent from the dizzy steep above it. With a heavy 
stick, wiiich the farmer carried with him, he struck several 
blows, in quick succession, on the flat surface of the rock; and, 
in a short time, a bright ray (jf light darted from behind it, and 
gradually increased in brilliancy. In the next moment the 
object of their visit stood before them, with a small lantern in 
his hand, by the aid of which he took a critical survey f)f his 
visitors without speaking. He then bid the farmer welcome, 
who promptly introduced his companion as 'John Smith, a faith- 
ful friend to his majesty,' and instantly disappeared. The ('ap- 
tain received Crosby very cordially; and, after making numerous 
inquiries, to all of which he received plausible and satisfactory 
answers, invited him to enter the cave, pointing- to the mouth 
of an artificial excavation in the mountain, just behind the 
cloven rock, which (Jrosby had not before (observed. The new 
recruit instantly obeyed the orders of his superior, and found 
himself in a small, comfortable, well-furnished apartment, with 
seats and other conveniences, suitable for two or three persons. 
In the centre of the floor stood a small round table, liberally 
supplied with a great variety of cold meats, pastry, bread, 
butter, cheese, and other kinds of eatables, that the neighbor- 



58 TOWN OF COENWALL. 

mg tavra-huuses could furnish. But what the occupant of the 
cave most earnestly commended to the attention of his guest, 
was a larg'e jug, or rather its contents, which he affirmed was as 
tine Madeira as had ever graced the table of Sir Harry or even 
his lordship himself." As the jug was emptied, the C'aptain 
grew communicative. He informed his visitor that in three 
days' time, on the following Tuesday, his recruits, now number- 
ing some thirty or more, were to rendezvous at a barn on the 
westerly side (jf Storm-king, belonging to a loyalist farmer, 
from whence they would pursue their way to the British lines. 

Crosby's ingenuity was now put to the test in devising a plan 
to communicate the information he had acquired. His absence, 
even for an hour, would excite suspicion and probably reveal 
the part he was acting. The recruits were coming in fast, and 
their numbers exposed them to detection. Crosby suggested to 
the Captain that it would be better to divide up the forces so 
that, in the event of a surprise by " Townsend's Rangers," who 
were almost ubiqitous in their scoutings, the whole body would 
not be captured. The suggestion was favorably received, and 
each man was directed to hide himself. Crosby was not slow 
to avail himself of the privilege. He hastened to the house of 
a man he knew to be friendly to the cause, and urged him to 
saddle a horse and carry an express to the Committee of Safety 
at Fishkill. While the messenger was preparing for tlic jour- 
ney, Crosby wrote the following communication: 

" To THE Committee of Safety: Gentlemeu — I hasten this express to request yon to 
order Captain Townsend's company of Rangers to repair immediately to the barn, sitna- 
ted on the west side of Butter-hill (Storm-king), and there to secrete themselves until 
we arrive, which will be to-morrow evening, probably about eleven o'clock: where, with 
about thirty tories, they may find Yonr obedient servant. 

Monday Evening, Nov. -t, 1777. JOHN SJIITH ." 

The next evening the recruits were all gathered together in 
the l)arn, and, jaded by their travels, were sleeping soundly 
on the hay. Crosby alone was awake. In about an hour's 
time, a cough was heard on the outside. This being the ])re- 
concerted signal, was immediately answered by Crosby, and in 
a few minuti's the building was tilled with Townsend's armed 
Hangers. Tlu; tory company were (piickly made prisoners with- 
■out an attempt at defence. 



MOUNTAIN LAKES. 59 



|||0ttntai!i 11 



EvFA' ;ini(>ii<;' those best ;ic(|iiaiiit('(l witli (Cornwall, tew have 
any idea ol' tlie beauty and iminbor of hikes and hikelets witli 
which her mountains are dotted, 'riie stranger, as he stands 
on tliephiiiis beneath, and notes the sharp, angular peaks wln'ch, 
in tlie deep tM'ilig'ht ol' the coining' nig'ht, seem to support the 
sky to the sf)uth, can liardly credit the fact, that over and be- 
yond these mountain tops, anchored in rocky defiles and crag'g-y 
l»asins, are numerous lakes of ample size and surpassing beauty. 

The town of Cornwall and the town of Monroe are the lake 
towns of Orange county. The town of (Treenville has but one 
small sheet of water, known as Beunet VV^xter-pond. Crawford 
iias her Dwars-kill, Blooming-Crrove her Cromeline creek, Deer- 
park her Xeversink, Mount Hope her Shawangunk-kill, Minisink 
her Drowned Lands, (roshen her Big" Swamp, Wawayanda her 
Walkill, Chester her Seeley's creek, New Windsor her Wash- 
ington and Xewburgh her Orange lake, but upon (Cornwall and 
Monroe nature has bestowed with prodigal hand a bounteous 
series of lakes, unsurpassed in any part of the world. It is to 
them we would call attention, botli on account of theii' beauty 
and utility. 

The lake system of the Highlands liegins on the Cornwall 
mountains, continues on into Moiu'oe, and culminates in War- 
wick in that l)eautiful sheet of water known as Greenwood 
Lake. It comprises in all sonu! forty lakes of various sizes. 
The principal ones in Coi-nwall, before the recent division ol' 
the town, were (giving tliem the expressive but inelegant names 
by which they have been knoAvn) Bog-meadow Pond, Long Pond, 
Round Fond, and Sutherland's Pond. The three first named 
have their outlet to the Hudson: Bog-meadow at Buttermilk 
Falls, the Bnter rnelck vol of tlie early Dutch skippers; Long- 
Pond and Hound i'ond, l>y Poplo])en"s kill at Fort Montgomery. 



60 TOWN OF COENWALL. 

Sutherland's Pond empties to the west and supplies the beauti- 
ful falls that are seen at the Cornwall Mineral Spring-. Round 
Fond is near to but more elevated than Long Pond, into which 
its waters flow. Poplopen's Pond is on the line between Corn- 
wall and Monroe. It covers about three hundred acres of land 
and has a depth of some twenty-five feet. Its waters were 
dammed back, years since, to furnish a reservoir for the Fort 
Montgomery mills. This pond has a sad interest in the records 
of our town by reason of an unfortunate incident which occur- 
red on its waters twenty-six years ago. On the 14th of August, 
1846, a pleasure party of young folks repaired thither on a pic- 
nic and fishing excursion. Whilst some of them were rowing 
about in a boat, the wind suddenly blowed Harvey Adams' cap 
into the water. A young man by the name of Peter- Seaman, 
after some little pleasantry, undertook to regain it by jumping 
overboard and swimming for it. Whilst in the act of doing so, 
he suddenly sank, and before his companions could furnish 
assistance, was drowned. The pleasures of the day were ended 
and the party returned li(jm(> with mournftil hearts. The body 
was not recovered until the 17th, three days afterwards. 

Arqong the more prominent ponds in Monroe we may mention 
the Bull Fond, Green Pond, Two Ponds (upper and lower), 
Slaughter Pond, Cranberry Fond, Island Fond, Gi-reenwood Fond, 
Haz/.ard's Fond, Round Pond, Mt. Basha or Mombasha Fond, 
Johnson-town Pond, Duck-cedar Fond, Little Long Pond, Car 
Pond, Spruce Pond, Cedar Fond, and last, as well as least, a 
small body of water in the extreme south-west angle of the 
town, between Ramapo and Warwick, dubbed with the ultra- 
radical name of Nigger Fond. 

Sterling Pond lies in the town of Warwick and has its outlet 
near the Sterling Furnace. Mt. Basha Pond is located near 
Southfield, a mile north of the Monroe Ii'on-works. Round 
Fond is in the north-west part of the town and within a mile 
of Monroe village. Hazzard Pond heads the Woodbury creek, 
wliii'h runs along the line of the Short-cut railroad, entering 
the Murderer's creek near Taylor's bridge. It is an important 
tributary to the latter stream. Slaughter Pond empties near 
Greenwood Furnace and runs south. Round Pond is in the 
west jtart of Monroe and is su{)posed to be the source of the 



MOUNTAIN LAKES. HI 

Haiiiapo. 'I'lic term Kaiiia|i(», tliiiu<;'li now s|i('citically a|)|)li<'cl 
ti» the creek, is an Al<>'()ii(iuiii g'eiierie term and was ori^'iiially 
jj'iveii to the entire district. It si<;iiiHes, in tlie ex])ressive and 
eminently Amerit-an dialect referred to, " Nfany ponds." 

There is a certain point on the Short-cut kiKtwn as "The 
Summit." It is about a mile north of the junction near the 
race-course, and directly opposite John Coffey's house, which 
stands to tlie east of the railroad. It is a rtMuarkahle fact, that 
a line draw'n east from this point over dale and hill until it 
strikes the Hudson, forms the summit oi' the water's flow. The 
lakes and streams to the south of this line How south, whilst 
those on the north How north. 

Duck-cedar Pond derives its com{)ound name from the num- 
ber of aquatic fowls of that name for which it formerly was a 
favorite resort, and the cedars which skirt its banks. It is call- 
ed sometimes Truxedo Pond. It is about two miles in leng'th. 
Its waters are on a level with the Sterling' and Ringwood val- 
leys. Advantag'e was taken of this fact, during the Ri'volu- 
tion, in a novel way. The iron furnaces, through the Kamapo, 
being threatened with an attack by the British, a dam was 
constructed *»n the north of Duck-cedar Pond and its waters 
caused to flow to the south-west, thereby supplying the Ring- 
wood Furnace in New Jcusey with the necessary power. 

Bull Pond is situated to the east of Highland Mills, about a 
mile from the station. Of late years it has gone by the nam<' 
of Agnel's Pond. Agnel, now deceased, was one of the profes- 
sors at West Point and an enthusiast inpisci-culture. Through 
his exertions a friend, by the name of Voisan, was induced to 
purchase the pond and stock it with fish. Voisan is also dead, 
but the title to the property is in his son, now absent in Europe. 
During his absence, "Tom" Miller, of New York, that devoted 
disciple of the g'enial Walton, has charge of the pond and en- 
tertains his friends in a princely way. The success which has 
attended the experiments in Agnel's Pond justifies the i)redic- 
tion that some day the numerous ponds we have alluded to will 
prove a mine of wealth to their owners, if properly developed. 

The titles to all these ponds are in the hands of private indi- 
viduals. Mr. Parrott, of (Greenwood Furnace, is the owner of 
four. With the exception of Bull Pond, no r<'striction has been 



(i2 TOWN OF GOKNWALL. 

plac<^(l upon the use of their waters. The eoiisequeiice has been 
ail indiscriminate, wholesale destruction of the tinny tribe with 
wliich they were tilled. Not many years ago, they were stock- 
ed with pickerel, bass and perch, and in the streams leadinji,- 
from tliem trout could be taken. The barbarous custom of 
tishing- through the ice and setting lines over night, has been so 
generally indulged in that the fishing is now comparatively poor. 
Tlie fall is the time to visit our Mountain Lakes. The air is 
keen and clear, whilst the leafless branches broaden the view. 
To see them aright, you must go on foot. Armed with a stout 
walking-stick, you ascend the mountains. At each resting place 
in the ascent (and you will find the need of many), you naturally 
turn round and view the plain below, bordered on the east by 
the waters of the beautiful Hudson ; on the north shut in by 
the Shawangunk mountains, and on the west by the Schune- 
iiiunk range. The view is unobstructed. The living green is 
gone, and in its stead you 

•• See the fading many color'd woods, 
Shade deep'ningover shade, the country round 
Imbrown : crowded umbrage, dusk and dun 
Of every hue, from wan declining green 
To sooty dark " 

Except here and tlierc where the winter grain lies bathed in 
tli(^ sunlight, 

'• Fled is the blasted verdure of the fields." 

Nature has ciuiuged her garments, and soon will wrap her- 
self up in robes of ermine for a winter's nap. As you near the 
mountain top and look yet again beneath you, a strange feeling- 
comes over you. No one can stand on these summits, (how- 
ever dead to emotional excitement he may be) and help but feel 
his own littleness and nature's greatness. He feeh it here ; 
he thud's it in the valleys. 

" All that expands the spirit, yet appalls. 
Gather around these siunmits, to show 
How earth may pierce to heaven, yet leave 
Vain man below '" 

There is sometliing besides expanse and height to help the 
feeling on. The very air — still, save wlien rustled by the fall- 
ing leaf — speaks loudly to tlie soul within. 

" The whispering air sends inspiration from the mountain heights." 



MOUNTAIN LAKES. tJ8 

As yoii cliinl), your tlioii^lits Uccp puci' with your steps. Bui 
still you j^'o ou — Tip — liit^'iicr and liig'hcr. A point is soon reach- 
ed in your traA^ds when you involuntarily corue to a halt. Fr<iui 
the elevation on which you stand, lietoi-e you in the near tlis- 
tance, you liehold lor the first time one of our Mountain Lakes. 
The t'eelin<;' of" surprise soon g'ives way to admiration. There it 
is in all its Ix-auty. 

•■ In a deep vale, ahnt init by Alpine hill.«." 

As you gaze upon its crystal waters, it requii'es no g^reat 
stretch of" imagination to fancy them peopled with lake-nyiuphs; 
and when you turn to the miniature mountains liy which its 
banks are bound, you picture the homes «jf" the Oreads. While 
listening, as it were, for the song of the nymphs, the noise of 
falling waters comes sweetly to the ear, and tvirning in the di- 
rection whence the sound proceeds, yon see where 

•■ Deep the snuless glens are scooped between, 
And bi-awl o'er shallow beds, the stream nuseen." 

But leaving the iesthetic consideration of our lakes, let us 
view them in a utilitarian light. We find that during the Rev- 
olution, and even before that period, their waters were econo- 
mized for different purposes. Numerous furnaces were located 
so as to take advantage of the power they yielded. One of 
these furnaces, known as Sterling Furnace, at the outlet oi' 
Sterling Pond, was in operation as early as 1751. It was here 
that the chain which was stretched from Fort Montgomery 
across the river to obstruct the passage of the British, was 
forged. At the outlet of Truxedo Pond a factory was erected 
during the war of 1812, for the manufacture of nails and saws. 
At the outlet ol" Hazzard's pond an extensive tannery and Hour 
mills have been in operation for a number of years. (Green- 
wood Furnace, established in 1811, is at the outlet of Cranlierry, 
Slaughter's, Island and (Ireenwood Ponds, the Avaters of which 
four [xiuds are united for the purposes of the Furnace. There 
are numerous otiier mills and fat-tories which depend upon the 
various ponds we have mentioned for power. Some of these 
ponds, are artificial, in part — that is, a dam has lieen built across 
a ravine so as to throw the water back and How a consi(leral>le 
acreau'e. This was the case with Boa'-meadow I'oud. The un'lls 



fi4 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

wliose ruins are seen on the river bank at Buttermilk Falls, 
were formerly supplied with water from Bog"-meadow. 

Tlie lay of the hind on our mountain tops is highly favorable 
to the creation of artificial lakes. There are numerous natural 
basins of the largest size, only waiting for an inexpensive dam 
across tlieir mouth to furnish an almost unlimited reservoir. The 
plateau on Cro'-nest is gifted with (me of them, and some day 
in tlie early future, the (Government will utilize it as a means of 
fiH'nishing West Point with water. 

, The day can not be far distant when, if Cornwall progresses 
as she has in the last five years, advantage will be taken of 
the privileges which nature has laid at our very door. The 
water of these Mountain Lakes is remarkably pure and soft. 
As before observed, trout were formerly taken in the streams 
leading from them, and every pisci-culturist knows that trout are 
never found except in the purest water. The soil has a great 
deal to do with the purity of water, as well as the hygienic ef- 
fects of the two elements in combination. In this connection 
we may note the remarkable contrast our lake system of the 
Highlands presents to that of the Adirondacks. There the soil 
is loaded with humus and vegetable decomposition, and the ac- 
tion of the water and sun gives rise to malaria. Here witli us, 
the water in its passage down the mountain sides, dashes over 
rocks or glides over a pebbled bed. The miasm of the Adiron- 
dacks is unknown to the (Cornwall mountains. 



WEST POINT. fi-T 




The seat of our National Military Academy is too well kunwn 
to need any extended notice. Wo have already glanced -M tlu- 
Kevolutionary incidents and associations which cluster Mn.und 
it. To thcseit owes its primary interest. At the close ot tiic 
war, in fact the very year next succeeding- the declaration of 
peace, the importance of providing an institution for i)urposes 
of military education was n.ade the subject of (Congressional m- 
quiry, and resulted in the recommendation of West Point as the 
site for the future Academy. The project, however, met with 
considerable opi)osition ; anu.ng others by Jet^-erson, wlio con- 
sidered it unconstitutional. A school ..f limited extent, howev- 
er was established and continued up to the war oi' 1812, when 
its endowment upon n n.ore liberal basis was sanctioned by 
even its former opponents, who had now come to appreciate its 
importance. It is not within ..ur purpose to trace the growth 
of the Institute or set forth the conspicuous part it has played 
in advancing our rank as a military nation. These matters 
have already been touched upon by abler hands. In the pres- 
ent pages, we con>e to look upon West Point in a somewhat 
different, but no less interesting light. Of late years, the 
pictures.pie scenery, aided by the daze of military life, have 
conspired to popularize it as a fashionable place of summer re- 
sort Large, well-appointed hotels have been erected, and nu- 
merous boarding-houses of less pretensions but equal merit 
compete for the patronage of the summer tourist. The class 
of visitors and the character of their pleasures are cpnte dis- 
tinct from those at Cornwall. At the Point, all the dress and 
dissipation of the more notable watering-places are to be tound. 
Hops and music are regularly provided, and furnish nightly en- 
tertainment to the v<.taries ..f the dance. To those that fancy 
such pleasures, the Point is an agreeabl,. spot. There are many, 



(jH 



TOWN UF CORNWALL. 



however (and of sueli, Cornwall society in the sunnner is prin- 
cipally made up), who prefer a more rational mode of enjoying" 
thenjselves ; and yet do not ohject \v an occasional dissipation. 
To such, the pleasures of the I'oint are conveniently near. The 
distance is only about four miles, and can he accomplished hy 
rail, boat or wag-oii. The communication l)y boat is the most 
pleasant. The Powell in the early morning', or one of the way- 
steamers in the afternoon, will convey the Cornwall boarder to 
the Point, where he can visit the numerous objects of interest, 
and return l)y the Powell in the evening- in time for tea. If he 
wishes to witness the dress-parade of the cadets, he can remain 
and take one of the later l)oats back If a hop is to be attend- 
ed, a bed at any of the hotels i'or the un-danced portion of the 
night can b<' had, and an early return the next morning' by the 
lioat, made. A still more agreeable way of going, is to secure 
the services oi' some of the watermen on the river, when the re- 
turn may l)e made at leisure. 

The objects of interest are not only numerous but novel, and 
re(juire time for their proper examination. The remains of the 
old I'orts, with which the river-traveler has become familiar I'rom 
a distance, can be visiled with pleasure. Fort Putnam's ruins 
will be found on the tree-clad summit of Mt. Indejiendence, 

500 feet above 
tlie river. The 
casemates that 
sheltered the 
patriot soldiers 
and the stone 
ste|)s at the 
sallyport, are 
'j; yet to be seen. 
The tirst fort, 
constructed to 
guard the High- 
land s , w a s 
built in 1775, 
on Martelaer's 

Hock (now (-onstitution) Island, immediately op|)osite West 
Point, and was called Fort Constitution, .\fter the capture <^»f 




WEST POINT. 67 

Foits Cliiitdii iiiiil MdiitgdiiHMT, ii surv(!y (liscl(isc<l the iiii|i((rt- 
aiit i'act tliat the l(K'atii>n oi" Fuv\ Coiistitution was jx'ciiliarlv 
uiitoi-tuiiatc, it Ix'iii^- (•(Hiiiiiaiidcd l»y tlic more clcvalcd land on 
the west Itaiik of tli<' i'i\fi-. To i-ciiicdv the cri-or tlic fortilica- 
rioii was lic<i,-iiii and completed wliieli first went by tlie name of 
l"'ort Arnold, and, alter the tri-ason of the ottieer of that name, 
was known as Fort Clinton. It stands at the north-east angle 
of the ])lain, and has recently ln'cn almost completely restored. 
The whit(> marble ct'notaph, amid the ruins, perpetuates the 
memory of Kosciusko, under whose superiiiteiideuce the fort 
\\'as completed. To the rear of Fort Putnam on Kocky-hill may 
be seen Kedoubt Xo. 4, and on lower eminences to the south- 
ward, the ruineil parapets of Forts Wyllis and Webb. 

The plateau on which the Academic buildings stand, is oiie 
liundred and fifty-seven feet above the level of the river, and 
end)races about tii'ty acres of smooth land, nicely laid down in 
sward and beautifully shaded where traversed by roads or paths, 
file principal buildings worthy of visit are the Academy, the 
Mess-hall, the Observatory and Library, the Chapel, the Cadet's 
Barracks and the Riding School. At the Academy nuiy be 
I'ound the ilitlerent- recitation rooms, a large gymnasium, fenc- 
ing room, and picture and sculpture gallery. In the Artillery 
Model-i-oom may be seen models of bridges, engines and other 
matters connected with civil engineering. The models of build- 
ings and forts are worthy of notice. Those of F'ort Wagner, 
Ifefore Charleston, and San Juan d'Ulloa, off Vera Cruz, will 
attract attention. The Museum of Ordinance and Trophies will 
deserve much more time than the visitor usually has to give it. 
Swords, muskets, and anmiunition of rare and varied kinds, aic 
here to be seen. The collection comprises torpedoes and shot 
from the battle-fields of the late war, tlag-statis and Hags from 
Mexico, Indian trophies and curious projectiles, and munerous 
flags borne by the army in the war of 1812, in the Florida war, 
in Mexico, and in the Rebellion, together with their inscriptions. 
The most prominent object is a model of the silver mine of Va- 
lenciana, which stands in the centre oi' the room. The American 
oflficers stationed in the city of .Mexico, in 1847, purchased the 
model, at a cost of $8000, by a subscription among themselves, 
and caused it to be placed in its present position. The upper 



68 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



surface repit'seuts the operatives, made of silver ainalgain, 
practising- tlieir several divisions of labor, while the sides ex- 
hibit the g-alleries of ;che mine with the miners at work. 

The Riding-hall stands on the bank of the river, at the head 
of the shelf-road by which the plateau is reached. It is 78x21H 
feet, and spanned V>y a single curved roof. The equestrian ex- 
ercises of the Cadets in this capacious hall are quite a feature. 
The hours for riding are Itetween 11, A. M., and 1, P. M., except 
_____ during the time 

of encampment. - 
1 n s t r u c t ion is 
given in tiring at 
the head, running 
at the ring with 
poised sabre, 
practicing with 
pistols, leapi ng 
bars and hurdles, 
and other feats of 
more or less diflK- 
c u 1 1 y. Visitors 
have an ojiportu- 
nity oi' witness- 
ing the evolu- 
tions and t hey 
never fail to ex- 
cite fa vor a bl e 
comment. 

Besides the buildings to which we have referred, there are at 
the post nunuM'ous others of less pretensions. The Superintend- 
ent's ([uarters, the (General's quarters, the homes of the officers, 
professors, nmsicians, and their families, are all conveniently 
situated on the west of the plain. 

Having called the visitor's attention to the m>te-worthy ob- 
jects nnfhia the various buildings, we may now invite him to a 
stroll icithout. Well-kept paths conduct him to the different 
points of interest. On the north verge of the plain are to be 
seen the brass mortars taken from Burgoyne at Saratoga, sur- 
rounded by links of the big chain, of which mention has already 




WEiST POINT. 0<) 

been made. There lire also tlie Mexican trophy guns, the fa- 
mous thirteen-inch mortar, the English tropliy guns, and a large 
granite ball brought by (Jeneral Delafield from the Crimea. 
Descending the hill on the north we come upon the Sea-coast 
Battery with its armament of rilled monsters. Here may be 
seen 100, 200 and 300-lb. Parrots, the 15-inch gun and the 
lo-inch mortar, capable of hurling missiles as far as Polopel's 
Island, which the battery eonnnands. The attention is not con- 
fined alone to the spoils and trophies of " grim visag'd war.'' 
Here and there about the grounds and in the cemetery near by, 
a melancholy pleasure is taken in viewing the shafts raised to 
the mighty dead. A massive sarcophagus indicates the tondi 
of General Winfield Scott. Tlie Cadet's Monument marks the 
resting place of those who have died whilst pursuing their 
studies at the Point. Not far from the turn in the road, in 
iVont of the officers quarters, stands upon a granite pedestal, 
a Hue bronze statue of General Sedgwick ; and near to it, upon 
a knoll surrounded by evergreens, is an obelisk, erected to the 
memory of Lieutenant-Colonel E. D. Wood, who fell in Septem- 
ber, 1814, while leading the sortie from Fort Erie, in Canada. 
The white marble monument on the plain commemorates the 
bravery of a detachment of United States troops under Major 
Francis L. Dade, in a battle M'itli the Seminole Indians in Flori- 
da, in December, 1835. Of the one hundred and eight men 
in the party, all but three were massacred by the infuriated 
savages. 

The jiaths at the Point are not only well shaded but well 
chosen so as to create pleasant surprises and open vistas of the 
most charming scenery. The drives are, owing to the nature 
of the country, limited in extent. Of the paths, that so widely 
known as Flirtation Walk is traversed by almost every visitor. 
It possesses many points of romantic beauty, and borrows no 
little admiration from the sijfter sex on account of its tradi- 
tionary " charming walks with the Cadets, you know." It will 
serve you an agreeable hour, if you have the time and a suit- 
able companion. Less time will be required and a more sub- 
stantial interest awakened by visiting Kosciusko's Garden, 
which is reached by the path starting a few feet only from 
Dade's monument, which serves the stranger as a finger-board, 
c 5 



TO 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



Everything- con- 
nected with the 
illustrious Pole is 
uf absorbing" in- 
I t e rest t o t h e 
American heart. 
During- tiie Kevo- 
Intion, he was in 
<• ii a rg-e as engi- 
neer at the Point, 
and the spot we 
are considering- is 
aflrtnned by tradi- 
tion to liave lieen 
the scene of his 
studies and reve- 
ries. The site is 
retired and most 
romantically situ- 
ated on a sheh- 
ing- g'org-e in the 
face of the rock. 
In 1802, the re- 
mains of a foun- 
tain which Kosciusko had constructed, were discovered at this? 
point. A marble basin has been placed on the original site into 
which the water now flows. 

If time permits, it will be well to visit Hig-ldand Falls, a 
lively little villag-e, about a mile to the south of the military 
post ; and perhaps extend the drive as far as Vovt Montg'omery. 
The road is kept in g-ood order, and, following- the water's edg-e 
as it does, will be found delig-htfully pleasant. 

Retui-ning- to the Point, we may take a peep at tiie iminner 
in which our future heroes conduct themselves. Their militai-y 
<'xercises possess a renuirkable fascination for all visitors. 
The most diflficult manoeuvres are executed with an ease and 
precision seldom ecpudled. The music by the West Point Band 
is unrivalled. For ten months in the year, the (Uidets remain 
ill the barracks and pursue their academical studies. About 




WEST POINT. 



tlic 25tli. (if .hint', tlicy ^;'<> into cainp <iii tlir plain and iciiiaiii 
about two inoutlis in tlit' cxciH^isc of purely military duties. 

\ sketch of West Point IVoni the pen of a local writer would 
lie sadly deficient without mention of tlu^ world-known Benny 

Havens. Benny's 
fame is almost co- 
existent with that 
of the Academy, 
(ieiieration a ft e r 
g-encration of ;^-ra- 
duates have borne 
with tiieni to all 
parts of the nation 
a pleasant memory 
of delin([uencies in 
which he shared. 
Special notoriety 
is g"iven him by a 
song' comiiosed liy 
Assistant- Surg'eon 
O'Brien, whilst on 
a visit to the Point, 
many years ag-o, 
and sung- to the 
now familiar air of 
"Wearing- of the 
Green." The me- 
ti-e encourages c.r- 
tempore versification, of which an uidimited amount has been 
conijiosed. An idea of the character of the song- may lie had 
from the first stanza, which we (juote: 

" Come, till your glasses, fellows, aud stand up iu a row. 
To sing sentimentally, we 're going for to go; 
In the array there's sobriety, jiromotion 's very slow, 
.So we '11 sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, oh! 
Oh! Benny Havens, oh! — Oh! Benny Havens, oh! 
So we '11 sing our reminiscences of Benuy Havens, oh!" 

Ill early days, Benny kept a retreat on th<' i'oint. where the 
Cadets secretly resorted for the " forbidden fruit " of the vine. 
Having- liccome obnoxious to the Faculty, he was banished from 




72 TOWN OF COENWALL. 

the guvcrninent grounds, and took refuge beneath the clift' near 
the Falls, where he carried on his business until a recent date. 
His quarters continued, as before, the favorite resort of the Ca- 
dets, who found a new and super-added pleasure in violating 
two rules instead of one, while seeking " refreshments" in the 
sliape of " flip and buckwheat cakes." They were now com- 
pelled to pass the South Gate witiiout permission, the penalty 
for which, if discovered, materially lessened their merit roll. 
Benny is quite a genius in his way. We have only room for a 
single anecdote illustrative of his peculiar disposition. Some 
years since when the eye now gone was attacked with inflamma- 
tion, he was urged to seek medical advice. He refused, assign- 
ing as a reason that the "Doctors would take the other for their 
pay." Benny is now living with a near relative at the Falls, 
in the enjtjyment of fair health at the advanced age of 80 years. 

" When this life's troubled sea is over, and our last battle through, 
If God permits us mortals then his bless'd domain to view, 
Then shall we see, with glory crown'd, in proud celestial row. 
The friends we've known and loved so well, and Benny Havens, oh! 
Oh ! Benny Havens, oh ! " 

We would advise those visiting the Point, to lay aside a full 
day for the purpose. Let them go down in the Powell at S, A. 
M., and return at 6, P. M. They can take a luncheon with them 
or dine at the hotel. It is a full day's work of ten hours to 
" do " the Point as it should be " done." 






ASCENT OF STOKM-KING. 73 




in-King. 



Whilst adniittiiio- that all rivers may bo pronounced usofnl, 
comparatively few are worthy of being' called beantiful. The 
Mississippi and St. Lawrence are types of the former — the Hud- 
son and Khine, of the latter. It is its banks that give character 
to a river; and, judged by this test, the Hudson has no equal. 
Its waters are margined by an endless variety of rock, wood 
and meadow from its source to its mouth. The rock formations, 
in particular, are of a most striking nature. The cliif-like Palis- 
ades, and the bold crags and towering peaks of the Highlands, 
with their varying heights and shapes, and novelty of combi- 
nation, produce a picture of which the artist would never weary. 
Amid tlie host of peaks which greet the eye. Storm-king stands 
preeminenl. Its position as one of the columns to the northern 
gate to the Highlands, its bold projection in the river and ab- 
rupt ascent from the water's (Klge, its bleak and serried sides, its 
cloud-supporting pinnacle, tend to give it an individuality pos- 
sessed by no other peak. It is not strange that so peculiar a 
formation should have exhausted the vocabulary of the early 
skipper for an appropriate name. They called it the Klinkers- 
Ixng, doubtless from the close resemblance of its base to the 
flat-bottomed vessel (the klinker) of the Dutch. The name by 
which it has been generally known for the last century is 
Butter-hill. Our local etymologists claim that it was so called 
on account of its likeness to a mound of butter. Their claim is 
seriously invalidated by a discovery we have fortunately made, 
in examining a very ancient map whereon the peak in question 
is laid down as Buttel-hill. Butte! is the German for bailiff — 
jailor — one who guards — and the name was given to the peak, 
no doubt, from its outlying position as a guard to the Highland 
pass. It is also known on some maps as Button-hill. Its pres- 
ent name of Storm-king was given it by the poet, who thus 



74 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

assio-ns his reasons for tlie re-cliristcning-; "The tallest moiui- 
taiii with its feet in tho Hudson at the Highland gap, is officially 
the storm king — l)eing looked to, by the whole eountry around, 
as the most sure foretell(M' of a storm. When the white eloud- 
heard descends npoii his breast in the morning- (as if with a nod 
Ibrward of his majesti<- he;id) there is sure to Ite a rain-storiu 
helbi'c nig-ht. Standing aloft among the other mountains oi" the 
chain, this sign is peculiar to him. He seems the monarcii and 
this seems his stately ordering- of a cliange in the weather. 
Should not Storm-king, then, be his proper title?" A similar 
phenonKuion has been observed with Mount l^ilatus, al liucerne, 
Switzerland, g'iving rise to the triplet verse: 

" If Pilatiis wears his cap, sei-eue will be the day. 
If hi.s coUar he puts on, theu mount the riigged way. 
But if his sword he wields, theu keep at home, I say V 

Storm-king- is seen to the best advantage I'rom the river as 
you apjtroach it from the north, (jrlancing- at its rugg-ed, pre- 
(•ipitous sith^s, the possibility of clind)ing them is at once ipiest- 
ioned — g-enerally denied. The side facing- its divorced com|):in- 
ion. Break-neck, on the opposite bank of the river, has never 
been climbed ; but the side which over-looks the l>ay is suscep- 
tilde of an ascent. The top may also be reached Uy a tlaiik 
movement to the west, passing up Cliamplin-way and coming 
upon it by the rear. Of the two routes the former is tlie most 
difficult, and has to be accomplished entirely on foot. The toil 
of the latter may be shared by driving to the residence of Mr. 
Peter Brown, or John L. Wood, and there leaving your horses. 
The hardy and venturesome t(»urist will prefer to climb the 
mountain at the steepest practicalile [»itcli. The difficulties ol' 
the feat creates a fascination which always favors this route. 
Tlu; departure is taken from a point near A[r. Solomon's new villa, 
at the foot of the monarch, and c-ontinued over wood-path and 
water-course until his majesty's crown is reached. Notwith- 
standing the toil and difficulty of this route, ladies have fre- 
(jueiitly joiiu'd the expedition, and sut-ceeded in scaling the 
heights, upon which they have caused their accoiMpanying 
knight-errant to display a handkerchief fastened to a tree-top, 
that they might afterwards point tVom the plain below to the 
lia';--like emblem of their success. 



ASCENT OF STORM-KING. 75 

'I'lic siiiiiinit once <>,'iiiiH'(l, wliilst taking" the iinu-li-iiccdcd rest, 
the eye soon sliaivs tlic tatigMic ot" the Ixxly in its cftorts to grasp 
the many objects that cliallengc its att(Mition. There ai'e nn- 
nierons olhei- views about Cornwall equally tine, Imt none ol' such 
!<c<)i)t' to the north as the one that is hereto be had. An entirely 
new leatnre is super-added. For the first tiine you have an ont- 
h)ok to tlie east and south-east. Everything about you, in eveiy 
dinu'tion, witliin the compass of tlie eye, is brought out in bold 
reli(>f. The natural beauty ol' the country, within a radius ol' 
sixty miles from the spot you stand on, caji nowhere be surpass- 
ed. Fore-ground and back-ground of the picture are equally 
attractive. Sparkling' valleys at your feet — towering* mountains 
in the distance — cities and villages sprinkled about — the river 
thn'ading its tortuous way — hill-sides discharging tlieir silver 
streams — huge chasms and massive rocks — some near and 
others remote — all and each contribute to i"ound out and com- 
plete a picture of unequalled grandeur. You view the spectacle 
from your mountain-tier seat with no intervening peaks with 
their hats on to obstruct the view. You may hear tlie music of 
the band at West Point, wafted on the southern wind, and might 
look down on the parade-ground and witness the evolutions of 
the ('adets, were it not for the intervening heights of Cro'-nest. 
If you have been thoughtful, you will have brought with you a 
field-glass and a guide familiar with the surrounding country. 

Not only the view l)ut the peculiar air which surrounds the 
mountain-top, excites attention. It was of this, when describ- 
ing the ascent, Mr. Willis wrote: "Somewhere about noon we 
came upon brooks running the other way, and began to smell 
(we thought) a little of the salt air of the seabord — the ridge 
we had mounted being an efiectual Panama l)etween this and 
an iidand air nuich more Pacific for the lungs. In the cannon of 
the military post at the foot of the descent on one side and the 
rolls of Orange county butter at the foot of the descent on the 
otiier, my chronic cough-memory found a very correct exponent 
of the two climates which the mountain divides. To my emi- 
nent friend Doctor (xray, who prescribed the velvet side of this 
Isthmus, so near New York (instead of the Trip to the Tro])ics 
whii-h 1 took in spite of him and found so inefi'ectual), I owe 
what gratitude my present better health is wortli ; and 1 men- 



70 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

tion it here for the benefit of the large public of consumptive 
given-over-dom of which I have now ceased to be one. To the 
pulmonary patients who abound in our harsh seabord atmos- 
phere, this Highland Terrace (Cornwall) is a far better Malvern 
tlian the Antilles — the poor, at least should know." 

The student of Revolutionary history will find food for his 
contemplation here. There is a sermon on patient and heroic 
suffering in the bare rocks, for here were lighted those massive 
beacon fires which ever and anon summoned the hardy militia 
to the defence of the Highland forts. Being the highest, the 
l)oacon here was the signal to others similarly located on hills 
for miles around. Half-clad signal-men watched here through 
storm and night and cold — so cold that more than one perished 
and passed to that future which has " no king but God." Wo 
need to get close to the footsteps of these men to properly ap- 
preciate their work. 

Parties making the ascent of Storm-king will be amply re- 
paid for their trouble. There are other imposing views of which 
we shall come to speak, but tliey are of comparatively easy 
access. The element of fatigue and danger which add a zest 
to mountain climbing, are to be met at Cornwall only in the 
ascent of Storm-king. 




THE GKAVE OF DUNCAN. 77 



^])rai'e of 5"^^^^'^^b 



James Duxcax was born in Pliillipstown (Cold Spring;), on 
tlic opjxtsitc side of the riviu', iSoptcmbov 29tli, 1811. From 
the tuinbstones in the family burying'-g-round, situated a little 
to the south of the hero's grave, it appears that the family 
name was Duncanson. His father, Robert Duncanson, died 
Dec. 26th, 1858, aged 72 years and 18 days. His mother, 
Judith Duncanson, died 11th Feb., 1845, in the 58th year of her 
age. Tlie terminal syllable of the name was first dropped by 
the subject of our sketch, whose dislike of superfluities was 
peculiarly characteristic. Ever since, the surviving members 
of the famih", consisting oi' a brother and two sisters, have been 
known by the name of Duncan. Our hero received the rudi- 
ments of his education near the scene of his birth, at the village 
school. From those who knew him at this early period of life, 
we learn that he was noted for his love of fair-play on the 
school-ground and his championship of the weaker side. An 
insight to his youthful pastimes may be gained from his speech 
at the Astor-House, on the occasion of being presented with a 
gold medal, wherein he said: "The mountains of the Highlands 
in which I was born, I rambled and climbed so often when a 
boy, that every stone, tree and cool spring for miles around, 
was as familiar to me as the fireside of my lunnble home. 
These scenes of my childhood and youth are too deeply stamped 
upon my heart and recollection ever to be forgotten. After the 
lapse of years, when far away from my native land, even amid 
the din of battle, when the thought came f)ver me — as it often 
did come — ' what will they say of this at home V it proved an 
incentive to increased exertion." 

Having secured an appointment as Cadet to the Military 
Academy at West Point, he entered that institution, and gradu- 
ated with becoming honors in 1835. He now entered the armv 



78 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

as Lieutenant of tlie 4tli Regiment of Artillery, and was eng-a- 
o-ed in active service during the Seminole war. While with 
rieneral (iaines, at Withlacoocheo, in Florida, he was slightly 
wounded. .About 1838, he gave his attention to perfecting an 
arm of the service which was then in its infancy, but afterwards 
became conspicuous under the name of the ''Battery of Flying 
Artillery." Major Ringgold and Captain Taylor cooperated 
with him, at Camp Washington, in organizing and drilling a 
company. enlisted for the purpose. It was in this employment 
that the superior ability of Lieutenant Duncan, as a tactitian and 
military instructor, first forced itself upon the public attention. 

Ipon the l)reaking out of the Mexican war, lie joined the 
army with his battery, and participated in every engagement 
from l*alo Alto to tlie city of Mexico, except the battle of Beuna 
Vista. At Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, his brilliant e.\- 
|)l()its and daring bravery made him the Sheridan of the day. 
At the latter of these battles, when the enemy were in full 
tlight, Duncan pursued them with his battery, creating a per- 
fect panic and dispersing them in all directions. His gallant 
conduct met with quick appreciation. Li the short space of two 
years he rose from a Lieutenant to the full rank of Colonel in 
the army. His splendid achievements not only exacted the 
approval of his military superiors, but elicited a deep response 
from the popular heart. Cpon his return home, he received, in 
every place through which he passed, the most marked manitest- 
ations of the public esteem. Ovations met him at every turn. 
At the Astor House, on the evening of the 28th December, 1848, 
the wealth, the talent and the respectability of the great city 
united in a complimentary dinner to him, and the presentation 
of a gold medal. The Hon. Judge Edmonds presided on the 
occasion, and tendered the memorial in a speech reciting at 
length his gallant deeds. 

The death of Col. Croghan, soon afterwards, gave President 
Polk an opportunity of rewarding ('ol. Duncan's distinguished 
services with the honorable and lucrative but arduous i)ost 
of Inspector-(ieneral of the United States Army. It was whilst 
in tiie discharge of the duties of this position he contracted the 
malady oi' which he died. He had been visiting the southei'ii 
military |)osts, when he was taken with tlie yellow fever at Mo- 



THE GRAVE OF DUNCAN. 79 

bilo and died on the 3d day of July, 1849. His doatli cn'ato(l a 
most ]jrotouiid sensation tlironi>'liout tlie country, lie was com- 
paratively a young- man, l)ein<;' only tliirty-oight years of aj;-e, 
hut liis brief career had been so brilliant that the popular in- 
stiiu-t had selected him lor a briyht and [)romiuent fate in th<' 
futni'c. His name had already l)een mentioned in connection 
with the Presidency. His untinudy deatli formed the to|)ic of 
universal lament. The Connnon Couiu'il of New York, ])rover- 
bially (piick to reflect the puiilic feeling', passed the folidwing' 
preand»l(; and resolution: 

" Whereas, the public have been iuformed. thi-ough the cohimus of the public press, 
of the death of the brave aud heroic Duiicau, whose devotiou and success, as an officer 
in the late Mexi(-an war. have stamped him as one of those whose name is identical with 
the history of our country: and as our city cannot forgether representatives, either upon 
the battle-tield or in the council of the nation, therefore be it 

" Hksolvej). That, in keeping with the above expressed services of the heroic dead, 
and the hi^h estimation in which W(^ hold those services, a committee of three of this 
body be appointed, to have his remains brought to this city, and the proi)er testimonials 
of respect paid which are due to his exalted worth and merit, as a republican soldier and 
citizen." 

In pursuance of the resolution, the remains of Col. Duncan 
were brought to New York, and th<'re, on the loth of Novem- 
ber, 1849, funeral solemnities of the most imposing character 
ceh'brated. The pageant, which has never been equalled for 
impressive ostentation, was in honor of the lamented Major- 
General Worth, Colonel Duncan, and Major Gates. The hearses 
containing the remains of tlie dead heroes were preceded by the 
entire iirst division of the state militia accompanied by Itands 
of music performing appropriate airs. After the hearse of Ma- 
jor-General V^^)rth came that (jf Colonel Duncan, drawn by two 
pairs of gray horses. The military charger, which he had rode 
for twelve years, followed the hearse, led by a g-room. This 
equine veteran had carried his master through the battles of 
Palo Alto, Kesaca, Monterey, Vera Cruz, Cerro (iordo, San An- 
tonio, Cherubusco, Molino del Hey, Chapultepec, Garita Belen, 
Garita Cosme, and City of Mexico. As he walked behind the 
hearse, with his master's boots reversed, he excited a most 
mournful interest. The procession reached from the City Hall 
to Union Square, a distance of about two miles. The buildings 
along the route were draped in mourning, and crape was worn 
by the celebrants. Upon returning to the ('ity Hall, the coffins 
were placed upon a catafalque and an ode, composed by (reorge 



80 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

P. Morris, was sung; after which a funeral oration was deliver- 
ed by Ihm. John Van Buren. 

The next morning, the 16th, the remains of Colonel Duncan 
were conveyed to the steamer St. Nicholas for transportation to 
their final resting place. A deputation from the Common Coun- 
cil, the X. Y. Light Guards, a band of music from Boston, offi- 
cers of the U. S. Army, and a committee of the citizens of 
Cornwall, accompanied them. Upon passing West Point and 
Cold Spring, fitting honors were paid by those on shore. When 
Cornwall was reached, the funeral procession was formed at the 
landing, and proceeded to the iut<?nded place of interment in 
the following order: 1st. A Harbinger, in deep mourning; 2d. 
The military from Middletown; 3d. The Kemble Guards; 4th. 
Boston Band; 5th. Hearse, ornamented with plumes, drawn by 
four gray horses, clad in mourning and led by four colored 
grooms in livery; 6th. The New York Light Guards, as a guard 
of honor, in open order each side of the hearse; 7th. The charger 
before alluded to, led l)y a groom; 8th. Relatives of the deceas- 
ed in carriages, attended by footmen in mourning. 9th. Aldermen 
of the city of New York, on foot, with their staves of office 
draped; 10th. The Cornwall Committee; 11th. The Cold Spring 
Band; 12th. Society of Odd-Fellows, from Cold Spring, in rega. 
lia; 13th. The Sons of Temperance, from Cold Spring; 14th. 
Citizens in general, in carriages and on foot, forming a train 
nearly a mile in length. So large and unusual a procession, as 
it wound its way up tlie hill, produced a deep impression on the 
numbers who had gathered to witness it 

When tlie grave was reached, the coffin was placed on a bier 
and the multitude passed round to vww it. The coffin was cov- 
ered with the richest black silk-velvet, bordered with silver 
edging and fastened with silver nails. The breast-plates and 
the plates on the sides were also of silver, and the arms and 
other devices were beautifully chased. The inscription and 
devices were as follows: 

(.\rm8 ot the State of New York.) 
COL. JAMES DUNCAN, 

DIED 

At Mobile, Alabama, 

3d July, 1849. 

Aged 38 years. 

U. 8. A. 



THE GRAVE OF DUNCAN. 81 

On the rij:;lit of the coffin wore the words, Vera Cruz, at tlio 
head; at the foot, Cerro Gordo; on the h^ft, at the head, Kesaca; 
and at the foot, Clierubusco, with the device, in th(' middle of 
each side, of a cannon surTnonnted with stars and entwined with 
laurel. On the coffin were dis))layed two swords; one, his reg-i- 
niental sword, which was })lain, old and rusted; the other, a 
handsome <;'ilt-sheatlK>d one, bearinf:; the inscription: "'flie citi- 
zens of Newburg-h, N. Y., to Captain James Duncan, U. 8. A." 

A platform had been erected at the head t)f the grave frcjui 
which the Rev. Win. Cruikshank, a local pastor of marked 
ability, delivered the funeral oration. The body was tlien 
lowered into the g-ronnd, three vollies in cpiick succession tired 
by the Light Guards, and the assembly dispersed. 

The interest of the reader is, no doubt, excited to know some- 
thing of the personal appearance of Colonel Duncan. In tigure 
he \vas slight and not above the middle height. lie possessed 
a most marked physiognomy. The features were sharp and an- 
gular, indicative of great individuality of character and resolute 
lirmness. The eye betokened a mind ([uick to act. The head 
was well-proportioned and connected by a neck rather inclined 
to be lengthy. The two most prominent traits in his character 
were courage and modesty. They were illustrated time and 
again. His conduct at Palo Alto and Resaca, for personal bra- 
very, has never been surpassed, if equalled, on the battle-tield. 
He was not only brave under the excitement of the battle, but 
in council his voice was always for the fight. In the council-of- 
war, previous to Resaca, out of the thirteen officers, he was one 
of the three who voted for the advance. His modesty was no 
less conspici^)us than his bravery. In his reply to Judge Ed- 
monds, at the Astor House dinner, he said: "For my profession- 
al success, to which you have so eloquently referred, I feel that 
I owe son)ething to chance, much to opportunity and still more 
to the zeal and cordial cooperation of the acc()nii)lished offic-ers 
and brave men with whom I have had the honor and good for- 
tune to be associated." It was to this remarkable freedom from 
envy and detraction— so rare in jjultlic men — that he owed his 
popularity among his military associates. A comi)arison be- 
tween Worth and Duncan was attempted by their eulogist at 
the City Hall ceremonies. If the ft>rmer occiii)ies a more pro- 



^2 TOWN OF COKNAVALL. 

iiiiiieiit place on the i:)ag'e of history, it was because of his more 
varied and extended career. Ducan's career was like that of 
the meteor, not only in brilliancy but duration. The earth was 
tilled with tiie noon-tide g'lory of iiis daring-, but the shades of 
an early night dissipated it. He died in the meridian of life. 
It were idle to predict the eminence to which he would have 
attained, had Providence spared him. But 

"Duucan is iu his grave. 



After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well." 

The site of his resting-place is on the easterly slope of liigh- 
land Park, near the humble home he loved sn well, overlooking 
th(> broad expanse of Cornwall l)ay and in full view of the en- 
circling mountains. Six plain turned posts, connected by a rude 
chain, enclose the space where rest his remains. Xo stone is 
raised to mark tlie sp(jt. A head-ltoard and foot-lioard of rough 
hemlock, rotted off and fallen to the ground, are the sole monu- 
ments to his memory. 

"Rest! Warrior, rest ! 

* * * * 

Thy sleei^ is ijeaceful, th<)Ut,'li alxive 
The turf no banners wave, 
Nor showy shaft, nor scnlptur'il .stone. 
Hath niark'd the Warrior's {jravc, 
Yet thou wert foremost in the strife 
Where thousands strove lor fame and life. 
The laurel wreath, to all so dear. 
Was nobly won — to deck thy bier. 

* * * * 

Sleep, Duncan, sleep ! the Hudson breathes 

A ceaseless dirge for thee; 

The dark green hills that guard tliy grave 

Thy monument shall be. 

The land for whom thy blood was shed , 

Remembers not her noble dead; 

XwA well to-day may Freedom weep, 

When hearts like thine forijotlen sleeji. 



IDLE-WILD. 



83 



ir 




RESIDEXCK OF THE LATE X. 1'. WILLIS. 

Here was the home of tlie Poet! Here he lived and died! 
In the little cliamber abt)ve the library the invalid <>vnius ]K'n- 
ued those fanciful sketches which have aroused the admiration 
of two continents. The grove in the o-len— the l)rook— the 
Uiwn— the slumbering river— the towering numntains— one and 
all were vivified by the touch of his fruitful i)en. Speak of 
Idle-wild we cannot. It must be seen and felt .' It is like a 
fabled region where the confines of fancy and fact are lost to 
sense. The limnings of the genial Willis have invested his 
Hitildand Eyrie with such romantic charm, that to break it, we 
would not if wc could. If the picture nmst be nuirred, we leave- 
it for other hands. We restrict ourself to a brief biographical 



84 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

sketch of the Poet, and a simple description of liis former home 
and surroundings. 

Natlianiel Parker Willis was born at Portland, Maine, on the 
20th day of January, 1807. His grandfather is said to Inive 
worked as an apprentice in the same office with Benjamin 
Franklin, and afterwards published the Imlejiciulrnt (Jlirouide 
at Boston. He took an active part in the "tea party" which 
the American gave to their British cousins, about this time, in 
Boston harbor. Nathaniel Willis, the lather of the Poet, was 
also a practical printer and editor. He published at Boston 
(having removed to that place from Portland), the first religious 
newspaper printed in America. It was called the Bodon Re- 
corder. Subsequently he started the Yoidli's C'omjjanion which 
he continued to edit for a number of years. The mother of the 
P(jet, an excellent wonum and highly gifted, died in 1854. 

The rudiments of Mr. Willis' education were acquired under 
the tutorship of the Rev. Dr. McFarland, of Concord, N. H. He 
subsequently attended the Boston Latin School, and Phillip's 
Academy, at Andover, where he remained until he entered Yale 
College in 1823. About this time, when the futiire of his life 
was in the balance, his father was anxious to place him in a 
printing office. His mother, however, favored the son's aspira- 
tions for a classical education and he was sent to Yale. During 
his collegiale course his poetical exuberance sought relief in a 
number of fugitive poems. His " Scripture Sketches," composed 
at this early period, immediately gained a popularit}^ which they 
have never lost. Upon graduating, in 1827, he delivered the 
valedictory poem to his class — a production Avhich will bear fa- 
vorably with any of his later eff'orts. His editorial life began 
with the Token, upon leaving college. At the same time he 
published, in several volumes, the Ltgevdary. He next estab- 
lished the American Monthly Magazine, a periodical which at 
once took a high position. All these literary eft'orts were ac- 
complished beibre he attained his majority. In 1830 the Maga- 
zine was united with the New York Mirror. Mr. Willis now 
took his departure for Europe, over which he journeyed, and 
sent from time to time those interesting papers which under the 
title of " Pencilings by the Way," gave the Mirror a prominent 
l)osition in the literature of the day. It was during his resi- 



IDLE-WIJJ). «rt 

(Iciicc ill Hii<;-laii(l (1885), that he was iiiairicd lo Mary Ii<'i;^-Iitiiii 
Stacc, tlic (laiiji-litcr of a (listiii,iLi,-iiisli('(l British dtticcr wiio was 
at tliat time (I()iiiiuaii(liii<;--^'ni('ral. in (•(niniiaiHl i)t' tlic arsenal 
a) \V(i()lwii-li. Ill ISoT he rctiiriHMl hoinr and cstabliHlicd hiiu- 
scir (111 tlic hanks (if the Siis(|n('lianiia in ccntriil New York. 
near the village of Owe^'o. With that felicity of iKnueiicluture 
for which he was noted, lie i-ajled the cottaf;-e he hiiilt " (ileii- 
iiiary," and his sn])se(Hieiit " Letters from I'lider a Hridgx'," in- 
vested his then lioinc with all the romance and charm which 
^s^^bseqnelltly attached to his later one on the Hudson. Whilst 
at " (ilenmary," the first shadow crossed his hitherto sun-lit path. 
in the death of his first-born, whiidi sad event gave rise to those 
tender lines beii'iniiiiii;" : 

•■ Room, gentle flowers I my child would paws to heavt;u."' 

Other iiiisfortniies licfel him in ipiick succession. The failure 
of his income by reason of the death of his futher-iu-law, and 
the insolvency of his book ])ublislier. compelled him after the 
lapse of tive years to turn his back upon his cottage by the .Sus- 
(|ueliamia and seek the ever busy city for means of sustenance. 
He attached himself to the Corxair, -a weekly journal published 
by Dr. Porter, and in its interest again went abroad. While in 
London he published a c-ollection of stories, poems and letters, 
under the title of " Loiterings of Travel," and another volume 
containing his plays of " Biaiica Yisconti " and "Tortesa, the 
I' surer." He returned to the I'nited States in 1844, and finding 
the ('orsair vanislu'd from its wonted place, he engaged with 
(ieneral (i. J*. Morris in the conduct of the New Mirror. It was 
during this year his wife died, and his own health failing, for 
the tliiivl time he visited Kuroi)c, taking with him his only child, 
a girl who had been named Imogen. He here bnmglit out. in 
1845, his " Dashes at Ijife with a Free Pencil," in three volumes. 
During his tri]) on the continent he fell in with one of his old 
boon companions in the person oj' Theodore Fay. the American 
Secretary of Legation at Berlin. Through his importunities, 
aided by those of .Mr. \Vlieaton. the Embassador. (»ur Poet had re- 
solved to remain abroad, but going to England to place his daugh- 
ter at school, he w^as taken ill, and once again he turned towards 
th(! land of his birth. Fpon arriving in New York he associated 
himself with (Tcnl. Morris in the publication of the Home Journal . 

C 11 



8(i 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



wliicli sdoii liccaiiie one ni tlic iiiust siiceesst'iil weekly papei's 
ill the coiuitry. Mr. Willis wa.s a hard worker and the iimid)er 
iii' Noluiues he published would t'urni, of themselves, a fair-sized 
library. We have not space to eatalooiie them. Tiiose of local 
interest are, " Out Doors at Idle-wild, oi' the Shaping of a Home 
on the banks of the Hudson;" "Hurry-g'raphs," and the "Con- 
valescent." 

In 1845,!i\ir. Willis was married to Cornelia, only daughter of 
Hon. Joseph (jrinnell, of Massachusetts, a former member of 







ff^-^ 



-ss- 






/--- 



",<l?^ 



I'HK COTTACE FROM THF, I.AWN. 

(Jongress from that state, by whom he l(>ft four children, named, 
res])ectively, Grinnell. Bailey, Sarali. and Kditii. In summing 
up the literary rejyutation of the Poet, we cannot do better than 
(piote th(^ words of Dr. (iriswold, who. in his " i'l'ose Writevsol' 
America," says: "'The life and fertility of the mind of Mr. 
Willis are very remarkalilc. His spirits and faculties seemed 
to have been bathed in perpetual freshness. The stream of 



IDLE-WILD. 



ST 



tliiiiiii'lit and IV'cliiiL;' in him is like (lie hiilihliiiLi' (iiils|iriiii;- of it 
natural tonntaiii, vvliicli Hows tbrtli with g-aiety and trccdoin, if 
it flows at all. His powers scoiii ncvtu'to he lessened liy e.\- 
lianstion. His lancv is never soihwl hy latii^'iie. lie nciver 
copies others and he never rejteats hiinstdt'; but always prompt 
and always vivid, his mind acts with the i-ei'tainty of" a natural 
prism which turns every ray that reaches it into a peculiar 
heauty." 

As a man. Mi'. Willis was companionalije and ol a i;ciiial 
luiture. Those who knew him at Coiiiwall. in his every day 
walks and talks, bear testimony to his unil'orm kindness. TTis 
court-like address was not assume(l, iiut I'elt. We have lieai'd 
an old resident say, he was the "only true ';x'ntl(unan 1 ever 
met." He endi'ared liimselC to all with whom he came in con- 
tact by his condescending' t'orbeai'ance — especially to the ]»oor 
and lowly, from whom he n<'ver shi'ank. His sense of honor 
was nice and acute, as evidenced by his acceptance of tiie chal- 
leniiX' ol' (.'a])tain Marryatt, the novelist, for a supposed provo- 
cation, whilst in Eu<;'land. 

Mr. Willis, in early youth, had been attached to the tenets of 
I'resbyterianisni. In laVei' life, he renounced them. Whilst at 
Cornwall, he was one of the Vestrymen of St. ffithn's Episcopal 
Church. His death occurred on Sunday evening-, the 20th of 
January, 1867, at Idle-wild. He died on the anniversary of his 
birth and was just sixty years old. His remains were conv(?yed 
to Mount Aubiu'ii for interment. 

Ijct us now retrace our steps and go back to the period of 
the Poet's advent in Cornwall. We have already hinted at the 
malady which threatened him on his return from Europe. Tndev 
the advice of a prominent city physician (the distinguished Dr. 
(xray). h*' was directed to Cornwall. He passed the sununer oi' 
18;")! at (ilen-brook Farm, the home of the Misses Suth(M'lan(l. 
which is situated on the road to NcAvburgh, immt^diately north 
of the mountain stream which his pen has since immortali/ed. 
He sought for a (|uiet, retirecl home, and in that of the Misses 
S. he secured it. His tim(! was spent in randtling about the 
country, usually attended by a companion. It was during one 
of these wanderings, in company with Mr. dohn SutheHaud, a 
brother of his hostess, that the i-apahil ities of Idle-Avild glen 



H8 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

forced tl)eiiiselve!S uii liis arteiitioii. Tiiniiii,u- to liis conipaiiioii. 
lie pxclaiiiied: "What a beautiful s])()t 1" 'Oh," returued Mv. 
S.. who had known the locality trom liis youth as a wild and idle 
waste under the name ot Newhold-hollow. "'it's nothing' but an 
idle wild." The expression, like a spai'k ti-oni the Hint, caught 
the fancy of the Poet, and kindlctl those thoug'hts which breathed 
and words which l)unied their way to the hearts of thousands. 

\ clue to the motives Avhich g'uided in the selection of this 
wild and picturesque spot for his future home can be gathered 
from a passage i]i one of his letters: " 1 have thought it curious, 
by the way, that among the many who liave strolled with me 
through our wilderness of acclivities and wood-))aths — coming 
Ti))on all kinds of views and landsca])e surprises, and seeing' 
every variety of surface and every })ossible tangle of wood. 
rock, and water — no one has ever yet suggested an embellish- 
ment, or ))ointed out a natural l)eauty that might be modilied or 
taken advantage of. Yet the improvements that might l)e made, 
seem to me as obvious as they are almost numlx-rless — charm- 
ing paths that might l)e cut, precipices and waterfalls that 
might terminate vistas, terraces that might be turned into 
glades and lawns, chasms that might be romantically bridged, 
and rapids that should be seim from eminences. Admiring the 
little that has been done very kindly and warndy. as beautiful, 
the imagination of the visitor does not seem to busy itself to 
lend a thought as to what viight he done to make it more beau- 
tiful still. Omni-creative as tlie American mind would seem to 
be, the creation of beauty seems not to be among our hal)itual 
and alert instincts, as a people." Inspired by such thoughts, 
Mr. Willis purchased, for an inconsiderable price, the portion of 
the Xewbold tract which had been regarded as valueless. In 
June, 1852, he returned to Cornwall and connnenced the erect- 
ion of th(^ cottage. During its construction he remained with 
his former friends, the .Misses Sutherland, the conveiiieni-e of 
whose residence favored the daily visits of superintendence he 
gave the rising structure. The cottage was completed by the 
spring oi" 1858, and in .lunc of that year, Mr. Willis with his 
family took possession. 

Th<> I'ottage was designed by Mr. Calvert Vaux, then associa- 
ted in l)usiness with the lamented Downini;', with their ollice at 



IDLE-WILD: 



S^» 



\,.wImu-1i. Mr. V:inx ivinarks. in Lis -Villas unci Cottages," 
that "ail the lines of the plan wciv set ..ut under the special 
.lin.eti.H. ..r Mr. Willis, wlm seemed U> take move interest in 

juv-mii latin- tlie h.mse t.. the laneies nf the -enius of the 

place than in any other 
part of the arrang-enients, 
and the whole design was 
so fitted among the ever- 
greens and adapted to eve- 
ry peruliarity of the site, 
that it a])pears to be al- 
most surrounded by tall, 
flourishing trees, although 
l)road stretches of distance 
III every dir(H-tit»n, and ex- 
tensive^ views of the river 
and mountain scenery are 
gained from the various 
w indows. each vi(nv being 
.1 separate picture set in a 
frame of unfading foliage." 
The site selected for the 
erection of the cottage 
w<mld stvik<' the utilitarian 
mind as scn-iously inconve- 
nient. It staiids on the ex- 
treme verge of the broad 
plateau which stretches to 
the south-east. In almost 
dangerous p r o x i m i t y . 
slopes the precipitous side 
of the two hundred feet 




THK (!OTT.\(}K FROM THK (i.\TK. 



gorge. S.. idose to the edge of this declivity were the walls 
placed, that the present proi)rietor of tlie grounds. Mr. Courte- 
uay. in seekino- ro<,m for an addition in that direction, has been 
obliged to build a retaining wall over forty feet high to secure 
a foundation. 

'fhe purchase of Mr. Willis comprised abont sixty acres, a 
go...l part of which is abs..rhed in th(> tree-clad, craggy ravine 



90 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



wliicli marks tlu^ boundaries to the west. Tlif ]:)]at('aii, or ter- 
race as it has been iiia))tly called, eml»races the remainder. 

Over the rocky bed of tlie 

ravine, a motintain stream, : ;" 

with rapid leap, finds its \ ^.. 

way to the river below.- — ' 

The descent from where it 

enters the grounds is al)out 

two Imndred feet, and is 

accomplished in a distance 

of less than a half-mile. — 

This stream takes its ris(> 

in the mountains to the 

south, and, like those of 

similar sour(-e, is, at times. ^ 

a slumbering.' rill: at othei's, 

a sweepint;' torrent. Its 

])assau,'e throug'h the >j-len 

is checked at intervals by 

huii-e boulders — one of 

which is knoAvji as ('hapel 

Hock — and smallei' rocks 

of quaintest i'orm, over and 

around which the waters 

cascade, forming;' what the 

Poet was i)leased to call 

" a kind of Trenton Falls 

for one." 

The ( Hen is the most at- 
tractive feature of the 

])lace. A ramble throuu'h its tanji'led depths displays a wealth 
of Ix'auty rarely ('(pialed. On either si(U', the steep ascending;- 
banks are (hovered with sturdy |)ines and hemlocks, whose 
never-failing" verdure give a perennial freshness to the scene. 
The air, at times, is heavy with the fragrance they emit. In 
o))edience to the notions of the Poet, which were to utili/.e. at 
trilling iu>st, every vantage of nature, the paths, by which the 
glen is traversed, wei'e sh(>lve(l along the sides of the |)reci- 
))ice, and the brook crossed, where needed, by the primitive 







THE COTT.VOK FROM THK MKAHOW, 



IPLE-WILi:). 91 

means of a t'allcii ti'<'c. As all, laiiiiliar witli tlu' \\'i'itiii;j,'s of 
Mr. Willis arc aware, lie had a liapjn' Cdiieeil of i-l<»tliiii<;- his 
thoiiu-hts with words coiiietl Ircsh IVoiii the luiiil of a mind 




I'ATH IN THE (tI,K\, 

noted ioi- its orij^-iHality. The habit was not eontined alone to 
the ideal : it extended to the actual ; and in the inultiforni 
names, <;'iven to the various objects in the ^den, is presei'vod 
the memory of many a friend, many an association, and many 
an incident. Of this charactei- is Funny-child Brook, Chapel 
Kock, Dri]) Rotd<. .ludii'e Daly's Seat, and so on. The bvook to 
which the name of Funny-child was g'iven. descends through 
an intersectiuii- ra.vine. called Home-shut, and minti'les its waters 



9!> 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



witli tlioso of Idle-wild Brook, near the meadow-lawn l)orderiii>i,- 
the river. The passer over River-side Drive, traverses tlie 
bridjj-e beneath which flow the wedded waters of the two brooks. 
The history of tlie union is o-iven by the Poet, in one t)f liis 
letters, so charinino'ly that we beii," to quote: "To niairv two 
brooks was my errand out- =:*; 

of-doors this mornini^-. The 
meadow-lawn, two hundred 
feet below our cottag'e win- 
dows, is the junction-porch 
ul' two converj>'ing' g'lens — 
Idle-wild and Home-shut, ajid 
each has its brook, brought 
from far-apart sources, but 
joining- lips within our fence 
upon the Hudson. Both gden- 
opening-s being- included in 
one tangled domain, tiie road 
( lut, t( >wards N e w b u r g ii , 
makes a bend arcmnd the 
meadow, crossing- below the 
projecting promontories of 
the two ; and, as we must 
needs, of course, traverse 
their two streams, it was desirable to bring them a little sooner 
tog-ether and span their united waters with one bridge. It re- 
(piired some digging and danniiing- — ^Funny-child (the other 
brook), after all manner of noisy vagaries in its own glen, 
coming out to co([uet capriciously with the swells of the mead- 
ow, and shieing- Idle-wild just where nature iutemled they 
slumld meet to part no more — l)iit we made the new bed some 
days ag-o and only waitecl fir a thuiider-stoi'iii, it being an object 
to reiuiive the barrier just when the swollen flood might g'ive a 
more natural turn to their meeting. 1 should mention that 
Home-shut, thoug'h directly opposite my study-window, is a glen 
so intricately out of the way that no chance foot would ever 
c-ross it; and from its close wooded entrance of hendocks, the 
denuire stream, so suiuiy and nu^rry the moment after, i-omes 
forth like n n'ih'tJ mm mif of tin' dar/,- /inrdi of o cnfliedfo/ — Funny- 




FUXXY-CHILD HRooK. 



TDI.K-WILD. 



1)8 



cliild liciiit;' also a rixulct of capricious stay, and disaiipcariii^' 
(g-oiic to tiic S/))'iii(/s pcriiaps) tor two iiioiitlis oi' tlic year. Bill 
wc liroiiii'lit the two to^'ctlicr. * * 

Tlic scciiiiii.i;- loneliness ol' the tiden is r(diev('<l at all times, 
even to tlie solitary ranii)ler, iiy the " fall oi' waters and the 
hiiin of l»irds." The foliaji'e attracts the feathered soiiji'sters in 
lari;-e niiiiiliers. and tlie air is vocal with their niiisic. The 
brook, witii the varviii_i>' seasons, keeps u]) a ))eri)etiial concert 
of nudody — in niid-siiininer, sinking- to the solo softness of tlie 
tiiite; in si)ring- and antiiniii, swcdling- to the tiiial tuinult oi' a 
full orchestra acconipaninieiit. The ganiiit of sound is run 
Avitli astouishint;- ccderity. A few hours turns a iz^entle iniirinur 
into the din ol' a cataract. VVlien the rain-clouds that encircde 
the Storni-k inn's liea<l, sunder their bonds, the stream breaks 
loose from its banks, and sjireads desolation in its wayward 
course. The most memoraide instance of its sudden rising- oc- 
curred on the evening of August 1st, 1853, and was occasoned 
by the bursting" of masses of (douds, sometimes called a " water- 
siioiit." The damag-e done was of a most serious character. 
Roads were scooped out. embankments torn away, building's 
d(duged and swejit off, trees uprooted, and iields devastated 
^^^ with g"ravel, 

r o c k s a n d 
drift- wood. — 
D u r i n g- the 
freshet, on the 
liosom ol' the 
torrent, w a s 
b o r n e from 
the hidden re- 
cesses of the 
far-off moun- 
tains a larg'e 
stump of pe- 
I'uliar shape, 
which lodg-ed 

in the gdeii. The eye of the Poet discerned at a g-lance its re- 
semiilance to the Russian bear. It was removed from its lodg- 
ing-|)lace, conveyed to the lawn in front of the cottage, and 




TUK (Z.u;. 



94 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



(•liristeiipd witli the uaiuc of 11 ic Czar, in coninieiiHiratidii (if tlic 
Emperor Nicholas, wliose death had just been annomicfMl. It 
still occupies the position which he assig-ned to it, surrounded 
l)y a clump of everg'reens, and with its life-like grotesqneness 
startles the stranger as he approaches tiie dwelling-. 

The location of the cottage is so peculiar, that the visitor 
must be close to, or at a great distance from it, to see it. A 
stranger might travel both of the highways by which it is ;q»- 
proached, for months, without being aware of its existence. 
There are two niocles of ap])i'oach — one l>y way of the jihiteaii 




ri,.vrEAr .\Nn rivkr from xe.\r moodna. 

on which the cottag'e stands, the (itiier from tlie river si(h'. 
througli the glen, over a sonu-what pi'ccipitous and winding 
road. The upper and lower entrance are Itoth effected through 
the far-famed Fig-tight Gate. 'I'lie history of this gate is told 
I >y the Poet in his own (pniint way. "1 had taken ])encil and 
pa])er to bed (witli a cough wliii-h keeps me sitting upright 
half the night, and which 1 turn to account by working as a 
cough-))ower to tiu'n a waking-wheel on any suliject that per- 



IDLE-WILD. 



«15 




])lox(-'s iiic) — an<i had spent liours in tlic coniltination of lines 
and curves to express Avhat I wanted the entrance to luy cot- 
taii'e to say. An autobiog^raphy that would latch and swing- upon 
a hinge, was the amount of it — and I soon found that it was a 
kind of rehearsal of a grave stone that would reqiiire nion' 
study than I iiad thought for — but I went to sleej) at last, ovei' 
one that seemed toleral>ly successful. It looked well by the 
cool light of th<> next morning; and, making a clean drawing- 
of it, 1 walked down into the glen and showed it to a laboring- 
man by whose opinions 1 ' . ^^ 
usually take the measure 
of my own. 'Yes, sir,' 
said he, after looking at it 
a moment, 'hiif if isn^ ])i<i'' /% 
fight!'' 1 had ([uite for- ^ 
gotten that it was to keep Q 
out pigs as well as let in ^^: 
friends. It was too open '- „-' 
at the l»ottom. * i gave I'IC-tkjht (;.me. 

ujt tile idea of letting my own gate tell any iiarticular story, 
and applied to the architect who huilt my house Ibr a plan of 
one. He drew it. as he does everything, well — ^l)Ut it does not 
look at all as ii' it led to }iit\ There it stands, however, lead- 
ing to Idle-wild. Friends will understand where it promises 
too niuch." The Poet liad an oft-avowed aversion to the run- 
ning at large of hogs in the highways, and the crusade he in- 
stituted against the detestable practice, coupled with its attend- 
ant success, so far as (Jornwall is concerned, would seem to 
warrant his canonization under the title of Saint Willis. 

Ill taking leave of a locality the surpassing loveliness of 
which, both real and ideal, has given it a world-wide celebrity, 
an answer may reasonably be expected to the question so often 
put: What privileges are accorded the stranger of visiting- the 
grounds y We are sorry we can give no definite answer. We 
recently addressed a note to d. M. Courtenay, Esq., the present 
)>roprietor of Idle-wild, with a view of securing his wishes upon 
this point, but, unfortunately, he had just sailed for Europe, 
wlH're he yet remains. The reader will naturally rfH-all the 
views oi' the Poet, as ex))ressed to the boy who longed for a 



i)(i TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

stroll tliroug'li the ^It'ii, but feared to enter on another's grounds: 
"Why ! my sweet fellow, it would l>e time for a new delug-e, if 
any bright spot on the surface of the world could l)e so shut 
from you ! No ! no ! there is no such right of propei"ty possi- 
ble in a republic. Fence out pigs, we may — if we know how. 
and nobody h'aves the gate open — but ti) fence out a genial eye 
from any corner of the earth which nature has lovingly touched 
with that pencil which never I'ejjeats itself- — to shut up a glen, 
or a waterfall for one man's exclusive knowing and enjoying — 
to lock up trees and glades — shady paths and haunts along 
rivuh^ts — it would be an embezzlement by one man of (xod's 
gift to all. A capitalist might as well curtain off a star, or 
have the monopoly of an hour. Doors may lock, l)ut out-doors 
is a free-hold to feet and eyes." 

The sentiment of the Poet is truly lieautiful. If he liad lived 
till to-day, however, whether he would have written in this 
strain is extremely doubtful. Instead of the st)litary i-hild. he 
would have daily encountered hundreds clamoring at the Fig- 
tight gates for admission. To have found the privacy and se- 
clusion of his home daily invaded by a score or more of sig'ht- 
seers and tropliy-gatherers woidd have been as distasteful to 
him as it no doul)t is to his more practical successor. We in- 
dulge these rejections upon our own responsibility. We are 
entirely unauthorized to speak for Mr. Courtenay. We know 
him, however, to l)e a gentleman of refined tastes, educated 
ability, and remarkable urbanity, and we have no doubt that 
the civil visitor will be accorded such reasomible and jiroper 
privileges as one gentlenuiii extends to another. 



WALKS AND DRIVES. 97 



mnf^ 'dim imvt^. 



u 



RIVKK-.SIDK HILL. 

Thk Walks and l>riv(>s of Cornwall ai'(^ not only numerous 
hut clianning'ly l)lcHsant. They could not well l)e otherwise iji 
a section where the natural surrounding-s are so beautiful. The 
roads, it is true, liave not yet reached that standard of excel- 
lence befitting- the travel, l>ut they are steadily improving under 
a more liberal and enlightened public feeling. We ask the 
reader to a stroll akmg the more prominent Drives. The ob- 
jects of interest l»y the way-side will be ]K)inted out. 

On leaving the Ixiat. at the landing, the stranger is ushered 
upon a tine, capacious dock, crowded with ecpiipages of various 
kinds. The landaulet of the attluent Metro})olitan stands side 
by side with the more modest carry-all of the farmer-Boniface. 
Numerous stages of motley character compete for the patronage 
of the out-pouring passeng'ers. It is no unusual thing to see 
over a hundred carriages on the dock, awaiting the arrival of 
the Powell. Lady and gentlemen equestrians are sprinkled 
here and there, having come down to welcome expected friends. 
The scene is an aninuited one and invariably excites the sur- 
prise of the stranger. The vehicles are soon tilled — or rather, 
loaded — to the brim, the more unfortniutte taking refuge on the 
roof-tops of the stages, and the half-mile procession winds its 
way up the hill to the table-land above. The road is skirted on 
the left by a snuill stream, which formerly furnished water-power 
to the mills and brewery, now going- to decay, seen on the edg-e 
of the road. In the rocky l»ed of tiiis stream, neai' the ancient 
brewery, some few years since, the body of Mary Blake, a poor 
but industrious widow-woman, was found. She lived in the 
cottage below the mill-])oiid, from which she was last seen to 
emei'ge about lU o'clock in the evening, upon the call of some 



98 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

person wliose identity was never established. Alter beini;' mis- 
sed several days, her murdered body was found as stated. 
Suspicion attached to a neighboring- party who was arrested, 
subsequently tried but acquitted of the crime. 

As the brow of the hill is reached, a bridgv on the left crosses 
the stream we have been following-. We propose leaving- the 
train of carriages to distril)ute its living- freight, and passing 
the l)ridge, enter on 

BAY-VIKW AVENLK. 

This is a most beautiful Drive. It appears to the best advant- 
age at sun-set. Commanding a tine view of the water its whole 
length, it needs the quiet, subdued shadows of evening to bring- 
out the beauties of the scene in their full force. The glare and 
reflection on the water of the noon-day sun destroy the pleasure 
of the view. The road is pleasantly winding and unpleasantly 
i<horl. No one that ever tried it but complained of its limited 
extent. It leads to the point of Storm-king and is not over a 
iinle in length. 

The white house, sitting well back from the road, on the upper 
terrace, is the summer residence of Mr. Charles Bellows, of New 
York. Nearly opposite, on the lower t(n-race. facing the river, 
is the Clark House, a large and well-kept hotel, named after the 
proprietor, Mr. Josiah Clark. A little further on, at the foot of 
the mountain, approached by a |)rivate drive-way, will be found 
the Storm-king House. 

The turn-switch of the Bay-view Drive is in front of the 
Birdsall House, which occupies a highly favored position. The 
road that descends the hill at this point leads to the cottage of 
Mr. Hull. It may be followed if desired, l)ut as it conducts to 
private grounds, it is seldom used by the strang-<"r 

The fine, new cottage adjoining- the Birdsall House, is the 
l»roperty of Mr. B. L. Solomon, of New York, who has become 
prominently identified with Cornwall interests. In the selection 
of this site as a home for his declining years, Mr. Solomon has 
given rise to a remarkable coincidence. He was born in Eng- 
land, near Land's-end, in Cornwall county. His summer resi- 
dence is now at Land's-end (as the point of Storm-king is local- 
ly called) in the town of Cornwall. The stranger will linger 
for a prolonged view, as he passes Mr. Solomon's house. The 



WALKS AND DEIVES. «)t) 

bay is seen at an an,nlc which no other lorality admits ol'. The 
vyv lias a full sweep to the north, covering- Newhiiro-h, Fishkill, 
and Dennino-'s [*oint, in the distani-e, witli i'luni Point and the 
mouth of the A[oodna in the tore^'round. 

Let us now retrace our steps to thi' lirid^'c ironi which we 
starte<l, and, enlerinL;' the main hig'hwav, continue oiu' journey. 
At a short distanc(! from the l)rid<j,-e, between tlie residence of 
Mrs. Fletcher Smith and the Brook-side stables, anotlier road 
shoots to the left. This is known as 

OHAMPIJX-WAV. 

It leads to the .Mountain House, and, by l)ridle-path, to the to}) 
of old Cro'-nest, and to West Point. It follows, in part, the 
si<le of a yawning' chasm, the far-down, unseen depths of which 
e.xcite the awe of the traveler. The grade is very steep and 
continued from the Mid-cliff Cottage, where the ascent is begun 
in earnest. The road-bed, however, is smooth and free from 
stones. As the Mountain House comes in sight, the view of the 
river, on looking back, is obstructe(l by a mountain-peak, known 
by the e.\)iressive name of K'ound-top. .\ ])ath lea<ls to the 
sunnnit of Kound-to]), on which Miss Hussey has erected a look- 
out box of (pniint a]»pearance. The view from Round-top is 
tine, and much sought after by excursionists. The Mountain 
House consists of two large buildings, detached until recently 
by a sjiace of about 300 feet. During the spring just past, the 
iiiter\ening ground has been built u])on, thereby increasing the 
capacity ot the house. The Mountain House is a favorite resort 
with those seeking a line view, and mountain air. The archi- 
tecture of the Imilding is i)eculiar. It was vlesigned by the 
owner. Dr. E. H. (Jhaniplin, whose study of foreign models re- 
sulted in the composite structure we see before us. A valuable 
feature is the broad ))ortico suiTounding tlie secimd Hoor of the 
house, affording the pleasures of a promemide at all hours, and 
in all weather. A bowling-alley is provided for the recreation 
of guests. 

The ascent grows still more pi'ecipilous as we leave the 
Mountain House behind us. At Peter Brown's, we may note, 
the easiest route to the top of Storm-king is found. Some con- 
tinue oil to John Losey Wood's before diverging from the high- 
way, but the latter route is nunc rugged and difficult. The 



100 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

liirgT white house, set in the niouiitaiu recess like a picture in a 
tVauie, is the well-kiiowu Institute tor Yotni^- Men. fonuerly kept 
by tlie Rev. Dr. Ledoux, and now by J*rof. ('ol)l). The liuihhnji' 
heconies familiar to visitors tor miles aroinid, on account ot" its 
elevated and seemingly isolated position. In iront of the insti- 
tute, a new road has ix'cently been built by private enterprise, 
leading- to the pretty chalet of Mr. E. \. Matthiesoii. The cot- 
tag'e on the lower terrace is that of Dr. i^edou.x. .Mrs. Van Blar- 
coin's residence is to the east of the institute. We are now on 
the summit of the mountain. The road skirting the south side 
of Storm-kiug conducts to the river, atfording the settlers in the 
" ch)ve '' a land egress t(^ the interior. We would not advise 
the stranger to penetrate these mountain roads further with 
wagon unless accompanied by some one familiar with tlieii' iie- 
culiarities. They will be found steep, i-ougli and narrow. Th(>ir 
narrowness makes turning an exploit of serious ditticulty, and 
no convenient turn-outs being provided, the driver, Avishing to 
return, will suddenly tind his horses at the wrong end of the 
vehicle. 

In this connection we may liint that the liest time to take any 
of our mountain-drives, is in the early morning. The superior 
coolness of the air at that time is fai- more delightful to the 
toiirist, as it certainly is more acce|)table to the toiling liorses 
liCt us now return to the main road, which, upon the recent map 
of Mr. Kirby, the engineer, is laid down as 

HUnSOX STRKKT. 

From the l)row of the hill to where it intersects the Canterbury 
and Newbtirgh turnpike, Hudson street is lined on either side, 
al intermitting spots, Avitli stores, dwellings, and boarding- 
houses. As we pass along, we note a few of the more promi- 
nent. The first large boarding-house seen on the right is the 
Lawrence House, recently built. Adjoining it stands Mr. El- 
mer's well-shaded cottage, formerly the honu' of the well-known 
dohn McKibbin. A few minutes' (Irive brings us to Willis-ville, 
but before reaching this locality, the Presbyterian Church will 
have been noticed on the right, and tlie Temjierance Hall on the 
left. The large brick building to be seen as you api)roach Wil- 
lis-ville, is the lu'w Tjil)rary Hall. In tdose proximity, is to lie 
found the Smith House, a large and well-conducte(l establish- 



HUDSON STKEET. 101 

iiiciit. At tliis point tluTc arc two intersecting' roads. The 
castcu'ly one leads down the liill by Mr. Rycknian's to the river, 
there eonneetint;' witli Kiver-side Drive, or tlie Sliore Road as it 
is sonictinics eaUcd. The other is i-alled Park Avenue and ti'a- 
verses lJiu,-hhuid Park, a most lieautiful tract of land, from wliich 
spK-ndid views are obtained, at easy grades. The Kivx'r-sidc; 
road is llie pleasantest noon-day drive we have. It follows the 
edge of the water its full length, and, skirting the terrace slope 
as it does, a constant shade attends the traveler. The boating 
establishment of Dan. Ward is located on this road. Sail and 
i-owboats and iishiug outfits can be procured at Ward's, at reason- 
altle rates. A short distance from Ward's, we conre across the 
mead(nv entrance to Idle-wild. Slooi)-hill is next reached, on 
the north side of which the road connects with the Canterbury 
and Xewburgh turn})ike, thus allowing" a circuit return by way 
of Canterbury, or a continuation to Newburgh, if desired. 

Park A\'enue has the advantage of being a drive every one 
can take, however limited his time. As it gives a complete 
bird's-eye view of Ccn'uwall and surroundings, it is a drive that 
every one ought tt) take. It passes the summer residences of 
many of our city friends. Mr. James W. Smith, of the Manhattan 
Gas-light Company, owns the villa property soon seen on the 
riglit, whilst the Gothic cottage above, faced by a spacious lawn 
dotted with evergreens massed in clumps, is the residence of 
Mr. H. H. Salmon. 

As we ascend, the road divides — the branch to the left 
taking the name of Duncan Avenue. The house in the angh; 
formed by the two roads is kept by Mr. Theron Turner, for the 
accommodation of city guests. Duncan Avenue is of limited 
length, leading oidy to the "old homestead" of the gallant 
soldier, now maintanined as a select boarding-house by his sis- 
ters, the Misses Duncan. Tiie grave of the hero is a few steps 
to the north-west of the house. 

Continuing the ascent of Park Aveiuie a short distance fur- 
ther, the house oi Mr. Stillman is reached, to be seen on the left. 
The white house on the right, occupying a connnanding posi- 
tion, is the residence of Mr. Geo. Moore, President of the West 
Side Bank, N. Y. After passing thi'ough the gate at the Lodge- 
house, we enter upon private grounds, and continue our journey 

C 7 



102 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

(•ver the ri(lj;e-land of Hiii,-hland Park, eiiierg'iiig- at tlie Lodgu- 
liuuse at the (»ther extieinity of the Park. Whilst traversing- 
the ridge, a chariuiiig mountain, river, and valley view is to be 
liad the whole of the way. 

Let lis return once again to VVillis-ville Scjuare, which, we 
may (jhserve in passing, should lie tlie site of the proposed 
monument to the brave Duncan. The narrow road that shoots 
t(j the north by the side of Library Hall, furnishes an outlet to 
the occupants of the beautiful villas fronting the river. The plain 
l>ut commodious brick building, near by, is the District School 
House. Hudson street now takes an abrupt turn to the west. 
In the elbow, formed by the turn, stands the Sagamore House, 
kept by George A. Price. At the crest of the hill wliich tlie 
road now ascends, a very pleasant detour may lie made over 
Idle-wild Drive, passing the terrace entrance to the grounds of 
that name, and emerg-ing on the Newburg'h turnpike by Suther- 
land's bridge. Following Hudson street, however, we soon 
come upon the new Catlujlic Church, of which particular men- 
tion will 1)0 made in another connection. The secluded cottage 
on the left, with lawn and well-shaded lakelet in front, is the 
})opular Linden Park House, Alderman C H. Ring", proprietor. 
We shortly reach the point where Hudson street strikes the 
Canterbury and Xewburgh turnpike. To the north of this 
jioint, the road retains the latter name, whilst to the south it 
is called Main street. About mid-way of the village. Willow 
avenue, on the right, will conduct the tcmrist to the Woolen 
Mills and Montana Drive, already spoken of. 

As you emerge from Canterbury on the south, you cross the 
Stone Bridge. Through the double arch-ways of this antique 
structure, flow the waters of Idle-wild brook; at times, g'eiitly — 
at others, madly — wildly. The Stone Bridg'c, with its rude sim- 
plicity, and rough but substantial masonry, always attracts 
favorable connnent from the stranger. It was built many, many 
years ago, fasliioned after no particular model, and without aim 
at architectural beauty. Yet the graceful curve to the walls, 
and the winding' sweep to the parapet by which it is guarded 
on (uther side, give it a rustic charm which no amount of design 
or art could ever have eftected. The midsummer visitor, who 
sees the dark and sluggish pool of water beneath the arches, 



WEST POINT ROAD. 108 

can li;t,v(' hut ruiiit coiK-('i>1iiiii of tlic Hiigry tonciit into wliicli 
tliat jxxil is often swollen during- the spring- and autiunn IVesli- 
els. IMie vHi-ious streams and rivulets of the mountain side, 
unite in Wringing- watery trilnite to this spot, anil, aftei' a heavy 
rain, tlie relentless tiood l)(!ats for passage through the now 
dwarfed areh-ways, and, failing to find it, rusiies impetuously to 
the soiitii, completely submerging the road-lx-d. Full many a 
time the old Stone Bridge has withstood the onslaught of the 
waters; yet there it stands — innnovahle — intact — the victor of 
a hundred battles. 

Apart from its structural attractiveness, the Stone Bridge 
possesses an additional iiderest by reason of its geographical 
position. It is located at the converging point of foui- roads. 
These four roads may be said to represent a three-tined fork. 
Tlie main street of Canterbm-y is the handle, and the three roads 
to the south will do very well for the tines. The northerly of 
these three roads leads to the Cornwall depot, on the Erie Short- 
cut, and thence on through Salisbury, Washing'tonville and 
Hamptonburgh, to (Joslien, and is i-ommonly called the Goshen 
Road. The southerly road crosst's the mountains, and has long- 
been known as the West Point Koad. The middle road is one 
of the oldest in the country, and was lormerly called the King's 
Highway, from the fact that it was laid out and opened by the 
colonial govenmient as a portion of the road-connection be- 
tween New York and All)any. It unites with the State Road, 
in the Ramapo valley, and continues thenct; to the city. 

We now ask the stranger to accompany us in a walk over tlu' 

WEST I'OIXT ROAD. 

As we proceed, we will find objects of interest, both physical 
and historical, to awaken attenti()n and repay our trouble. 
Starting- from the Stone Bridge, the West Point Road takes a 
south-easterly direction, fornung a foot to the stocking of which 
Main Street may be called the leg. About live rods distant, on 
the left, is a frame bridge, leading- to the grounds of the late 
Wm. C. Hasbrouck, more connnonly known as Highland Park. 
The cottage by the bridg'e, enshrouded by tirs and pines, was 
built as a Lodge-lK)Use for th(\ Park. The large white house, 
immediately opposite, t)n the knoll, and in the angle formed by 
the King's Highway and the West Point Koad. is the residence 



104 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

of Henry F. Chadcayiie, Esq., a mure tliau forty yoars' citizen 
of Cornwall. 

From this point to the (ireen Bridge, at the foot of the moun- 
tain, the distance is al)out three-qnarters of a mile. Tlic road 
is level, g'ently windini^- and well-shaded. Being usually kept 
in comparatively g'ood (jrder, it furnishes a favorite drive to 
city visitors. Idle-wild brook runs close by the side of the road, 
and its purling waters (of which an occasional glimpse may be 
had through the foliage that lines the banks) fall pleasantly on 
the ear of the summer rambler. As you proceed, you presently 
come to the entrance-gate of the Cornwall Track. Several 
years since, an association was formed, under the corporate 
name of the Cornwall Driving-park and Pleasure-grounds Asso- 
ciation, who built tlie track. Considerable money was spent in 
grading — the intention being to make it as good a track as 
could be found in the State. The association found itself umii- 
ble, for lack of means, to carry out the improvements required 
by the lease under which the grounds were held, and they re- 
verted to the proprietor, by whom they have ever since been 
maintained in but indifferent order, but open free to the public. 

As you stand in tlie elbt)w formed by the West Point Eoad 
near the Cornwall Track entrance, and hjok southward and u})- 
ward, y(ju see a range of towering mountains extending from 
the stately Storm-king in the east to the lofty Pochunck in the 
south-west. The angle of vision is here such as to produce 
the most favorable impression of the altitude and grandeur of 
our Cornwall mountains. You are are directly beneatli them. 
The valley in which you stand is about three hundred feet above 
the waters of the Hudson. The two elevated peaks immediate- 
ly in front are probably as lofty as any in the Highlands. The 
more easterly is known as Black-rock, and derives its name 
from the dark and sombre appearance its treeless and weather- 
stained sides present. The westerly peak has never been 
named. Its summit is densely covered with forest grciwth, 
wearing in summer a bright emerald hue, and in winter a sub- 
dued but cheerful gray. The enlivening contrast it presents to 
the dark and gloomy countenance of Black-rock, suggests the 
name of Mount Cheerful, by which we propose to call it in fu- 
ture. 



WEST POINT KOAD. 105 

The West Point lload traverses the westerly side of Mount 
Cheerful until it strikes the deiile formed by the southerly side, 
:ui<l then shoots off to the table-land beyond. From the point 
at which we have been takino- „ur observations, it hardly seems 
possible that a carriage road could be made to cross the moun- 
tains. The sunnuit to be passed is apparently so near and really 
so high as to give the impression of being impassable. A 
floscT inspection, however, will disclose numerous ravines and 
gulches (shut out from' view by intervening peaks), through 
which a road of tolerable fair grade is made to wind. 

The necessity of land ccjmmunication between West Point 
and Newburgh, no doubt was early felt, and gave rise to the 
present road, which dates its existence anterior to the Revolu- 
tion. There was, and is yet, another route of egress from the 
Point, traversing the town of Monroe, and debouching in the 
Eamapo valley; but this was lengthy, circuitous and inade- 
quate to the wants of the people. 

Let us now continue our footsteps and begin the ascent of the 
mountain. You cross the Green Bridge, which spans one of 
the tributaries of Idle-wild brook, and after passing a few 
houses to the left, commence the ascent. And here let us 
pause to remark the difference between walking on level ground 
and climbing a mountain road. Ordinary walking has many 
charms, and no doubt can l)e expressed of its beneficial effects 
on man— be he sick or well. But for novel sensations and 
life giving influences, commend us to a smart strcjU along 
the Ull-sides ! You take it in winter. The air is crisp and 
bracing. Under its exhilerating influence, the pulse quickens 
—the eye brightens— the cheeks redden, and the flesh tingles. 
Every muscle\)f the body is brought into play, whilst the mind 
is e(pially busy in selecting a foothold. The elenient of hazard 
which is associated to a greater or less extent in the climbing 
ol' all rugged mountains, keeps the eye unwearied, and nerves 
the whole frame into a joyous state of activity. But let us pro- 
ceed with the journey ! The acclivity keeps growing steeper 
and steeper as we go on. The road is narrow— just sufficient 
for the passage of a single vehicle— and in places cut deep 
through the mountain slope. The water-shed from the adjoin- 
iii«-- lan.l would soon turn the road into a brook after rains, were 



106 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

it IK tl for certain artificial appliances, called "breaks," wliich 
are ]jlaced trarisverse the road, at a distance of every few rods 
apart, and condnct the water to one side. These " l)reaks " are 
roniicd by monldinj^" the earth well np, tlierehy intensifying- the 
u'rade at tlu^ jxtints of their location. 

When ahont one-third w]) the mountain, upon turning- around, 
yoii have a fair view of \ewburg;h bay, but none of the river 
below, which is shut out by the intervening- Highland Park. A 
very picturesque ravine lays to the west, running onward and 
upward, till lost in the distance. The road that now liranch(^s 
to tli*^ rig-Jit leads to Sutherland's ])ond. 

Leaving it behind, we toil upward, until we reach a point in 
tiie road where a halt is always acceptable. About three rods 
oil", on the left, is the famous Continental Spring. Local tradi- 
tion has it, that during- the Revolution, a detachment of the 
American army encamped in this neig-hborhood, and hence the 
name by which the spring is known. The M'ater oozes from 
tlie solid rock, and is deliciously cool, bright and sparkling. 
Tiie spring has never been known to go dry. 

A huge rock, shelving to the very edge of the beaten road, 
will serve as a guide to the spring", which will be found imme- 
diately below, a sliort distan(;e onlj' from the road on the left. 
\V{' are now fast approaching- the sunnnit. Just befon' it is 
reached, the small stream which courses the gorge to the right, 
widens into twin pools, sustained by basins of solid stt>ne form- 
ed by the dip of the rock. The water plays from one to anoth- 
er of these natural basins, giving rise to a series of falls t-alled 
the Naicnrs Bath Fal/x. Th(\v are close to the road, and yet 
probably unknown to many who have passed the way scores of 
times. Tlie tiiicket which skirts the road, conceals them from 
view, when the foliage is on. They are (|uite a curiosity in 
their way, and sliould be examined. The bridle path to Black-- 
7-or/(-, starts just o|)])osite the falls. There being no direction 
))ost, it nuty not be amiss to caution the stranger of the danger 
oi" losing his way. A g-uide should be always taken along. 
l*'or those who have not provided one, we will entleavor to de- 
s(-i-ibe the way. After leaving the main road, a small hea]> ol' 
stones will lie seen on eitiier side ol' a beaten |)atli. Ry going 
hflirt-fit them, instead of pursning the more inviting wood-road 



WEST POINT ROAD BLAGK-ROCK. 107 

to tlic soiitli, tlic pnipcr direction will Ix' entered (in. A care- 
i'nl eye will detect the route from the distinct churacter of the 
verdnre beneath the i\n)\, and the occasional cleariiii;- ol' the 
interhicint;- coppice. A walk of a half mile a Ion ji,- <;'round some- 
what roui;-h hut not (jver-steep, will bring us to the base {>f the 
rock, which rises aliruptly to a height of sonu; eighty feet. 

The rock is ascended by means of a natural stair-way, to 
which attention is directed by a li(,>a)) of stones. The stei)S are 
lormed by ledges, and pursue a zig-zag course along the slant 
of the rock. With a guide to lead, the top is reached with 
comparative ease. \o one should miss taking the view»from 
Black-rock. It cannot be surpassed, for grandeur and variety, 
by any in the world. It bears strong similitude to that obtain- 
ed from the Higi in Switzerland. Of course the range is more 
limited, and the snow-capped peaks of the Alps are wanting. 
But the prominence of each detail in the panorama more than 
compensates for the lack in scope. The happy mean between 
limitless and contracted vision is here to be found. The out- 
lying objects are brought forth with a distinctness which allows 
the eye to grasp and understand them. Immediately under the 
feet lies the mountain-side, with its convergent chasms meeting 
in the low-down valley; to tlu! right. Deer-hill, Storm-king, 
( ■astle-hill, and Cro'-nest, lift their lofty heads. The Duchess 
mountains hem the river to the north-east — the North-beacon 
and South-beacon towering high above their more modest com- 
panions. To the north, the Shawangunk range tVu'ms the lower 
tier, and al)0ve them, in the extreme distance, the Catskill 
spread their cloud-supporting shoulders. To the west lies the 
Schunnemunk, with the shadows ever playing fitfully along its 
screen of living green, from broken-backed Pea-ridge to a ])oint 
where they lose themselves in the distance. Turning to the 
south and behind, the view is narrowed by isolated peaks, 
springing from the summit-plateau about us. 

Having traced the mountain rim to the picture, the eye falls 
upon the smiling valley, bathed in a flood of sun-light, and 
stretching its V)road, fat acres in every direction up to the very 
edge of the mountain slopes. The sparkling waters of (Corn- 
wall bay, and the riv(n--e.\t<'nsion for thirty miles upwards, lays 
b(4bre vou — ^handets, villages, and cities, are scattered about. 



108 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

Newl)urg-h is in full view and its streets can almost be counted. 
Opposite to the hill-side city, Fishkill is seen, and still further 
back, in a mountain g'allery, the sprightly little village of Mat- 
teawan can be discerned. Following the river-bend, in the far- 
distance, Poughkeepsie, with her smoke-clouded sky, rounds 
out the picture. 

A stop of several hours should be made on Black-rock. The 
view is one that changes with eveiy passing- cloud. We would 
recommend an over-cast day as the most fitting for a visit. One 
of the prettiest sights is the play of the sun-lig'ht and shadow 
along; tlie mountain-sides, and a cloudy day helps to vary the per- 
formance. There are plenty of sequestered spots, near the sum- 
mit of tlie rock, inviting a stroll. A favorite one is to the east, a 
few rods off, where the Lover^a Eoeking-done will be foimd, sur- 
rounded, and quite hidden from prurient eyes, by clumps of 
dwarf evergreens. This stone, weig'hing several tons, is so 
equipoised that a child of ten can move it from side to side. It 
is sufficiently low to the ground to form a convenient seat for 
two. Ladies must remember, whilst occupying it with their 
remote intended, that to incline away to escape the coming- 
kiss, will surely set the stone a-rocking. 

If the journey to Black-rock has been taken in the morning, 
and the rambler is not too much wearied, he ma}^ continue on 
to the south over the summit-plateau. As he once again resumes 
tiie main road, he finds himself traversing an extended plain, 
with evidences of rude husbandry on either side. The proprie- 
tor of this mountain farm is Mr. William Chatfield. His home, 
in the sliape of a substantial stone building, comes to view at 
tlic turn tlie road makes in front of the house. Every thing 
here invites to a halt. A well stands close by the road on the 
terraced lawn and a request for a di])per will be graciously 
granted by the host or his cheery wife. A driidv from this 
iiioiiiitain well — clear, pure and cold — will never be forgotten. 
It will cling to the memory, in after life, like a fond dream. A 
few inonu'nts with Mr. (■hatiield will show him to be a genial 
host, ol' more than ordinary intclligeni-e and quite coinmunica- 
live. His long experieni-e in the mountains would make him 
an invaluable guide. In this (^ipaeity he sometimes acts when 
his farm engagements will permit. To those unable to bear 



WEST POINT ROAD -GIANT'S HAUNT. 109 

the i'ati<>'iio of the ascent, we would advise riding* as far as Mr. 
(Miattield's, wliere their liorses can be stabled, and, whilst a 
a dinncn- is being prepared, they can make the tour of the moun- 
tains. We presume Mr. Chatfield will furnish entertainment, to 
tliose that apply, for a reasonable compensation. 

In pursuing our journey from this point, a guide is indispen- 
sable ill the suiiiiiier time. In the winter, when the foliage is 
off, the more elevated ])eaks, aided by tree and rock-marks, will 
direct the way. A sliort distance from Mr. Ciiatfield's, a wood- 
road shoots to the right. By following it we presently come 
upon th(» Giaiit^s Haunt. Early legends ascribe to these moun- 
tain tops the homes of titans, gnomes, giants and fairies. There 
is much in the surroundings to favor the conceit, for as we look 
about we feel like exclaiming, with the author of the Knicker- 
bocker: "Here it would seem that the gigantic titans had erst 
waged their impious war with heaven, piling up cliffs on cliffs 
and hurling vast masses of rock in wild confusion !" The 
Giant's Haunt is the out-cropping- pinnacle of a series of as- 
cending rocks and has more frequently been called SpjM-ock, 
from the extended view it connnands. Immediately beneath, on 
the west, a grotto is roofed b}^ the over-hanging rock, where the 
giant doubtless took his repose, sheltered from sun and rain. 
Whilst descending to this retreat the last time, he dropped his 
slipper, which, turned to stone, over six feet in length, in perfect 
shape, is still to be seen and is known as the Giant's Slipper. 

Striking out a path through the tangled under-growth, and 
proceeding in a south-westerly direction, we traverse the plain 
which separates the Giant's Haunt from a more elevated peak 
in the distance for whi(;h we are bound. The gnmnd is rough 
and strewn with loose boulders. The whip-like branches of the 
coppice necessitates procession in Indian tile at lengthened dis- 
tances. In our tramp over these almost trackless glens, we 
nu'(>t with many objects new to the eye. Flowers of the most 
exquisite beauty — shrubs of unknown kind — trees, some of tlie 
most perfect symmetry; others of gnarled and gTotesque shape — 
and rocks of curious form, most cunningly placed. The large 
number of ant-iiills that are seen will recall the lines of the poet: 

" Over the grass and through the brake, 
Where toils the ant and sleeps the snake." 



1 1 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

For tlu' bpuofit of those to wliom tlio (Mose of the couplet may 
be nii))h'usiiiitly sug-jj-estive, we may say, no venomous snakes 
av<' found in the mountains. 

We soon reach tlie Pic-nir Hock, a table summit f>f ])latforni 
rock covered with Jiioss and lichen, and provided with numerous 
blocks of stone, of varying" size, which answer for chairs and 
tables. If the hamper has been brought along, this is the ])lace 
to open it. It is astonishing how the appetite shar|>ens on these 
mountain heights, and how the fatigue, so strongly felt in the 
early ascent, disappears on iidialing the jjure and invigorating 
air which surrounds tliem. 

In renewing our steps we note the charred and withered a|)- 
pearaiice of the trees, caused by the flames which swejtt o\t'i- 
this ])art of the mountains a few years ago. In this connection 
it may not be amiss to caution the stranger against the careless 
throwing away of a match after lighting a «Mgar. The most 
serious damag'e, entailing the loss of thousands, has been done 
l)y this simple but thoughtless act. 

The rocky peak wliich we now a])pr(»ach is Erlin^a BJtiJf'. It 
was here tliat Erlin, the fairy (jueen's favorite page, first spied 
the sails of the Half-moon, as she rounded Teller's Hoint. At- 
tracted l)y so unusual an appearance, he hastened his Hight to 
ascertain its nature. The story is told so well l)y Judge Monell, 
ill liis Washington's Head-quarters, that we beg- to quote: 

"The Legend of the Huds(m Highlands, as related lirst by 
Hendrick Hudson, is recorded by Professor Ingraham, and re- 
ferred to by Diederick Knickerbocker in his History of New 
York, and by the ])oet Drake in The Culjuit Fay. As the story 
goes, th(Me was a deep lake completely shut in by the High- 
lands, b(d(tw Storm-king and Bull-hill, which were then joined 
together and constituted one range. This was tlie ]irison hc^use 
oi" evil demons, who were to remain here till this new world 
became the inheritance of the chihlren of the old; but tlu^y 
having rebelled at this decree, were shut up in the Palisades 
and in the south side of Storm-king. They have no power of 
utterance, except as they n^peat sounds heard on earth. Thus 
through the walls of tlieir prison house you can hear the rever- 
beration of thunder and the echo of human voices. These de- 
mons were thrust into their dungeon through a crevice into 



WEST POINT ROAD ERLIN'S BLUFF. 1 1 I 

wliicli was poured an ig-ncoiis rock, melted in the lower re*i-ioiis 
and supposed to be impervious. In 1868 some darinji;- ex})eri- 
menters I'ormed a i)lan to take out this roek, remelt it and i)repare 
it to hold .s/>/V//.s ol" anotWer Imt not less destructive nature. It 
was found, however, to l)e too strongly impreg-nated with sul- 
phur from l)elow for manufacturing i>urposes, and too sugg-est- 
ivc to he agreeahle. VVHien the demons were imprisoned the 
titans, gnomes, kelpies, giants, org'ies, and ttther superhuman 
beings, were ])ermitted to remain among" the rocks about okl 
('ro'-nest. They were malevolent in their luitun; and hated 
mankind, ever seeking- their destruction. They had a tradition 
which ran thus: 

'• Orgies, siauts, kelpies, guoniea ! 
Fly, fly youi- aiicieut home.s ! 
Wheu au elf shall thrice defeud 
A maid 'gainst whom ye all contend- 
Then, then, your power shall end." 

On' the mountain opposite wh<'re these evil g'enii dwelt, the 
queen of fairies held her eltin court, always ready to protect 
mortals. She had a favorite page called Erliii, who, while on 
an errand hir his ipieen, saw a white sail enter the Hig'hlands 
below Peekskill. Curiosity led the young* pagv to drop unseen 
upon its canvas, when a beautiful woman, Hudson's daug"hter, 
appeared on the deck. Charmed by her beauty he overstaid 
his time, and while returning* was delayed still further by hear- 
ing- an uproar in the cliff of a rock, the council-chamber of the 
evil g-enii. He passed noiselessly into a nook in the cave, and 
there heard them plot the destruction of the vessel which they 
had seen approaching-. They determined to lift her out of the 
Avater and dash her against the rocks, or raise a storm in which 
she might be wrecked, (»r else cru,sh her by hurling- down up- 
rooted trees and immense rocks. A gnome, of enormous size, 
who lived in a cave beneath Kosciusko's garden, was to com- 
mence the work of destruction as the Half-in<ton came into view 
the next morning rounding the headland of West Point. The 
council having luoken up, Erlin escaped to his home, inventing 
a lie to excuse his delay. With the morning light he was off 
on his daily errands. Being a good spirit he had the power of 
counteracting tlu^ schemes (»f the enemies of mankind, and iii 
this case he determined to do so at all hazards for the love he 



112 TOWN OF COKNWALL. 

bore to tlie beautiful maiden. He therefore perched himself, 
with his white wiugs transparent as lig'ht, on the sails of the 
vessel, so that the gnomes and other evil beings could not lift 
her out of the water. Thus baffled, th«y conjured up a storm ; 
but notwithstanding the violent wind and dashing waves she 
sailed on as usual. Then they pulled up enormous ti'ees and 
rocks and hurled them down from the mountain ; but Erlin flew 
from one to another, and they fell at once short of their mark. 
Then came the fultillment of the tradition, for " amid loud bel- 
lowings and wailings " the monsters were hurled back by an 
invisible power, into the dark chambers of Storm-king, where 
they remain to this day The storms whicli gather and break 
upon its sunnnit and often dash down its ribbed sides to the 
valley below ; the gusts of winds that often strike the thought- 
less mariner as he passes its base, as also the startling echo 
whicli breaks from the perpendicular wall on its south face, 
may be attributed to the almost smothered power of the caged 
monster. Erlin had violated his vows by falling' in love with a 
mortal. 

'•■ He had dared to love au earthly maid, 
And left her for his woodlaud shade." 

The genii proclaimed it as they were departing from earth, 
and he was arraigned in the Elfin Court. 

"Fairy, Fairy! list and mark! 

Thou hast broke thine elfin charm ; 
Thy flame wood lamp is quenched and dark. 

And thy wings are dyed with a deadly stain : 
Thon hast sullied thine elfin purity 

In the glance of a mortal maiden's eye." 

After a fair trial, he was condemned to vast labors and the 
performance of various tasks and penances, before he could be 
restored, an account of which is given by Drake injiis inimita- 
ble poem. The Culprit Fay. These having been done, " all the 
shadowy tribes of air" were called tipon to 

" HaU the wanderer again 



With dance and song and lute and lyre : 
Pure his wings and strong his chain. 
And doubly bright his fairy fire." 



Tlie I'airies still liold court in tlieir ancient dwelling-place, 
and all lovers, and those who are pure in heart, i-aii iiear tlic 



WEST POINT llOAD— NATUllAL BRIDGE. 1 1 M 

tlutti'iiii- <.r tlK-ir wii)j;-s :uul sec the (hinciii- ..f their wliite 
feet (111 the wutevs when 

'■ The moon looks down on okl Cro'-ucHt, 
Aud mellows the shades on her shaggy breast." 

The view tVoiii Erliii's BlutV is entirely (lit1["erent from uny we 
liave as yet taken. A hundred hills raise their rounded tops 
about us, resembling- a vast eueamiimeiit of m.)untain tents. 
Beneath, a deep-down valley g'oro-e stretches four hundred feet 
away. We cast a stime, but long before it reaches the ground 
below, it disappears from sight. The di/z/y rock on which we 
stand, shelves abruptly towards the abyss, and care must be 
taken' to avoid slipping off. The wind, always fresh, sometimes 
a gale (reminding one of the Teufels-brucke over the Reuss), 
ink'usifies the danger. The traveler must also beware of the 
llutschelni (hat-rogue) who, as he rides along on the violent 
gust, plays unfortunate tricks with the hats of the unwary. 
'^ Looking to the south-west, we see the towering head of Mt. 
Rascal, which marks the boimdary line of Cornwall and the 
town of Highlands. The house at the green opening in the 
mountains, OT the same range of vision, is the residedce of J. 
Odell, and the division line passes through it and continues on 
to Mr. Chatfield's, so as to just leave that sturdy mountaineer in 
the town of Cornwall. To the south-east, we catch a glimpse, 
in the far-distance, of Peekskill, Teller's Point, Tappan Sea, and 
Sing-Sing. On the same line will be seen St. Anthony's Nose, 
the'bunderberg and Bear-hill, and the historic region of Fort 
Montgomery where the forts stood. In the extreme south, on 
one of the mountain slopes, we see the house of Quaker Hollett, 
s(j kindly remembered by Mr. Willis, in one of his eariy letters. 
Hard by, but not to be visited at present, is the Natural 
Bridge, which the Poet describes as being a massive porch, 
coverii'ig the last stair of a staircase by which a cascading 
stream descends into a mountain lake. Three lovely things so 
close together as that leaping cascade, that singular archway, 
and the lake below, could hardly be found, even in the conipo- 
siti.in of a landscape painter. The long sheet of water narrows 
to this point, like a receding aisle ending at a glittering altar- 
step, and far down is a little fairy island standing out from the 
shore— the garden of wild-tiowers, periiaps, to which the de- 



114 TOWN OF CORNWALL. 

sceiiding tstrcain has its eiTHiid. VVliat Naiad, oi' name as yvX. 
by poet unuttered, comes down those briglit steps through tiie 
hemh)ck ^Tove, and, layinjj,' ott lier t'oaining- mantel under the 
rocky porch, glides silently along the smooth Hoor of tlie lake? 
Here is a poem in the mountains — wanting" only its eclio inked 
over. It is related that a clergyman who had once been sent to 
see the l)ridge, rode across it without suspecting it was under 
him, though he might have seated his country congregation 
under the shelter of the rock. The bridge forms part of the 
common horse-path around the head of the lake. There is no 
day-light under it, however. The stream, on the upper side, 
dashes into a dark cave and is lost to sight; and it comes out 
of another dark cave on the lower side, the two caves Ix'ing 
separated by a partition of solid rock, under the deep-down 
h^undations of which the water finds its invisible way. The 
well, across which this partition-rock extends, is open on the 
side next the lake and has been plunnneted to the deptli of 
sixty feet. It is always kept full by springs, even when tiie 
cascade dries up with summer heats — a reservoir of cool and 
pure water, ready made for the happy scenery-lover, who will 
one day make his home upon this prettiest cottage-site in the 
world. 

From Erlin's Bluff we have a view iA' /our of the seven lakes 
which can be seen from the peak near Quaker Hollett's. Two 
f)f them lay directly beneath — the two which so challenged the 
Poet's admiration; "But the difference of level, betw(H'n these 
two beautiful sheets of water, laying around us, was startlingly 
novel as an effect in so wild a landscape. There w/u'e two par- 
ticularly, into either of which it looked as if we might almost 
drop a pebble — own, fifty Ximi below us, on the right hand of the 
peak where we stood, and another, three or four hundred feet 
b<'low us on the left— like two silver l)alance scales, of which 
one had sunk into the valley and the other had mounted to tlie 
sky. These lofty cloud tanks are from two to four miles in cir- 
cumference, and each one seems formed into a cup by four 
mountains — vases with scalloped rims — and their- ('(Iges and 
steep sides looked to be of unl)roken foliage and wildness." 

VV^hilst drijiking in the beauty of so lovely a spot, well might 
the Poet, in the first flush of a justihalile entlmsiiisiii, c.xclaini: 



WEST POINT ROAD -POISED KOCK. 115 

" \Vli;it stiips tor siiiiiiricr liMiiiits ! To tliiiik. tliiit t'ni- the itricc 
(tf a small lumsc in a l)rii-k block in New York — say for the ten 
tliousand dollars whicli a man pays tor a barely respectable 
nnmiier in a street — he niif>'ht here build a cottaj^e, and own a 
mountain and a lake tor its belonj;'in^"s !" 

To (he lover of mountain scenery, Erlin's Blufi' is far superior 
to Blac-k-rock. It is the only spot in Cornwall where a view out 
of the back window of the town can be had. In partinji' from 
it, we [)ursue an easterly direction, taking' a contrary path to 
that by which we came. On a lower peak, not far oft", we stop 
for a moment for a glance at the Forexf (yDean Mint', to lie seen 
in the distance, the huts of the niiiiers indicating- the locality. 
This mine is one of the oldest in the country, and still yields an 
abundance of valuable ore. Prior to the capture of Fort Mont- 
g'omery, in 1177, there was a furnace connected with the mine. 
It made just twenty-one blasts, when the tires were extinguished 
and they have never been re-lit. The ore from which the chain- 
obstructions in the Hudson were made, came from this mine, 
and was torged at the smitlu-ry on the Moodna, hereafter to l»e 
spoken of. 

As we regain the road once more, we come suddenly upon one 
of those gleaming lakes with which these mountains are inter- 
spersed. x\t the southerly end of the lake, close to the road, on 
the light, will be seen a im^tst remarkable freak of nature — the 
Foiaed Rock-. Rocks placed in a similar position are (juite com- 
mon on tlie mountain tops. They are, doubless, erratic blocks 
of stone, deposited by ancient g'laciers, at a period when the 
strut'ture of our mountains and the climate were far ditterent 
and more; rigorous than they now are. The Poised Rock is a 
paralellogram in shape, having two sides, the upper and lower, 
ten feet in length, and the ends about four feet. It measures 
eighteen feet in circumference, and being formed of g'ranite, 
will weigh about fifteen tons. This huge rock stands by itself 
alone, lifted entirely fnjm the pedestal rock on which it rests, 
except at one i>oint. This point of contact is not over four 
inches scpuire. It is supjwrted on the extreme westerly end by 
a Hat stone, eight inches high — eig"liteen inches long and tifteen 
wide. A round chunk of stone raises it on the north side. 
The altitude from the outer edge on the south side to the 



IK) 



TOWN OF CORNWALL. 



gruund is three feet seven inches, whilst on the inirth it is only 
two feet one inch. As you look at it, the first thoug-ht is, that 
it has been {)laced in its perched position by the hand of man, 
but a more careful inspection will show that nature was the la- 
borer. It is a curiosity well worth visiting". Our ramble 
through the mountains must now be brought to a close. Wo 
might continue on to West Point, to Highland Falls, to the diff- 
erent mountain lakes, and other points of interest, but our 
space compels a return to Canterbury, from which we will con- 
duct the reader on a different but no less attractive jaunt. 




DRR^ES ABOUT CORNWALL. I 1 



5;mrsj ^liitnil 4^ '^^^^"'^'^■'^t 



Within couvoiioit (Iriviiig- (listaiicc o\' Coniwall are many 
(ihjccts of interest to the visitor. The adjoining- towns of New 
VViixlsor and Newburg-li are menu)ra])h' for the conspicuons 
part they phiyed in the stnii^'gh" for Independence. No other 
section of oni' conntry is more repU'te with Revohitionary inci- 
(■i,l,>,it — no other part more haMowed hy associations of an ah- 
sorlting character. It was here that the more ])roiuinent ofticers 
of the patriot army liad their head-quartei-s — here that they 
phmned and sorrowed, sorrowed and planned, during the dark 
and troublesome days which preceded the consunnnation oi' 
liieir ettorts. Tiie disasters of Forts Alontgomery and Clinton 

the treachery of Arnold — the attempts to obstruent the river 

— the Newburgh addresses- — the proclamation of peace, and 
disbandment oi' the army in front of the old house at Newburgh 
are, each and all, epochs in our history familiar to the reader. 

Tiie drive to Newburgh aifords an opportunity of viewing a 
nund)er of objects jirominently identified witli (mr early history. 
'Hie road leaves Canterbury and runs in a north-easterly direc- 
tion. Soon after emerging from ihe village proper, a road lead- 
ing to Willis-ville and River-side shoots to the right. The New- 
burgh road continues on. A guide-board in tiie triangular 
space formed by the intersection of the two roads, directs the 
stranger. The low-roofed dwelling on the left, buried in sum- 
mer in the spray of venerable willoAVs, is one of the oklest in 
the town. During the devolution it was t)ccupied as a store by 
the grandfather of its present owner. 'S(|uire Robert PI Ring, 
and at times served the purpose of a guard-house, a detach- 
ment of troops from the New Windsor camp-ground being al- 
ways stationed in the vicinity. As we proceed on our way wv 
soon rt-ach the Sutherland bridge, whicli at this point spans 
Idle-wild brook. After crossing the bridge, (rlen-brook Cottage 



118 MANHATTAN WELL. 

is seen to the left. It was here that Mr. Willis stopped, upon 
first coming to Cornwall. A century ago the building was a 
rude hut. It has been re-modeled and improved to such an ex- 
tent that it is now one of the tastiest cottages around us. It 
presents another interest, by reason of its having been the 
birth-place and home of the unfortunate and beautiful girl who 
subsequently met so tragic a deatli. 

The story of Manhaffan Well is one of the saddest ever por- 
trayed by the pen of the romancist, and founded, as it is, on 
facts, furnishes the strongest evidence of the force of the trite 
saying, " truth is stranger than fiction." In a recent publi- 
cation by Carleton, entitled (iuilty or not (4uilty, the true 
story of Manhattan Well is given, by a gifted relative of the 
unfortunate heroine. It Avas over the portal of this ancient 
dwelling that (xiuelma Sands stepped, in the month of June, 
1797, to take up a residence in the great city away. She was 
scarce fifteen, and possessed of remarkable beauty. Her man- 
ners were (jf that marked innt)cence and simplicity, for which 
the sect (Quaker) to which she belonged is renowned. The 
house in the city to which she repaired was located in Green- 
wich street, near Chambers — in those days the aristocratic 
quarter of the city. On Sunday evening, December 22, 1799, 
she leit her home in company, as was supposed, of one Levi 
Weeks. She never I'eturned. Twelve days afterward her body 
was found in Manhattan Well, wliich at that time stood in tlu' 
sulnirbs of the city. Its precise location was discovered in 
18C9, by the occupant of No. 155 Spring street, who, in digging 
in his garden, came upon its remains. This well had been dug 
with a view of supplying the city with water, but for some 
reason or other the undertaking was abandoned and the exca- 
vation covered with loose boards. Weeks was brought to trial, 
and was defended by an illustrious trio of counsel — Alexander 
Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and Edward P. Livingston. He was ac- 
(juitted, through a break in the chain of evidence. The excite- 
ment among the populace over the search, at the funeral, and 
over the trial, produced a sensation which long lingered in the 
uiernory of those who witnessed it. 

At the brow of the gentle hill which the road now mounts, 
we come upon the capacious and favorite hotel, kept by James 



NEWBURGH ROAD. 11<) 

G. Koe, known us tlie (ik'ii-rid^'c House, lu tlic winter of '11- 
'72, Mr. Hoe increased his iicconunodations l)_v l)uildin^' tlic i)res- 
ent indarg-ed structure, which, without hiying- pretentions to 
arcliitectural beauty, supplies tlie demands of liis numerous 
i;-uests. The vimd to the ri*;-ht, riuiuing' in the rear of the hotel, 
leads across tlu; lands of Mr. Roe, and connects with Idle-wild 
Di-ive by means of a brid<;e over the brook, near David ('lark's 
mills. 

Resuming' the Newburgh road, the settlement in the tlale on 
the left, is known as Koe-ville. It embraces tlie homes of some 
of our Cornwall laborers and meciuinics, most ol" wjiom own 
theii- property in fee. A short distance further on, a new ave- 
nue over the lands, late of Judge (i-eorge, now^ of some N(;w 
York capitalists, is in course of construction. The road up to 
this point has been comparatively level. We now approach the 
descent, wliich leads us to the valley of tlu; Moodna. The cone- 
like elevation to the right is Sloop-hill, which, asi(h' from its 
connection with the (^arly settlement of the town, has IJevolu- 
tionary interest as a signal station from whose suunnit watch- 
tires threw forth their lurid tlames, at the a})proach of danger. 
The origin of the name is involved in obscurity. It has been 
suggest(Ml that the name was given in commemoration of the 
fact that sloops found a favorite anchoring spt)t in the waters 
at its base, in early times. The Moodna, which empties at this 
point, was formerly navigable to vessels of light burthen, a 
sliort distance up; but the continued deposits of earth and sand 
at the mouth, have made a succession of shoals where once the 
water was deep. 

Sloop-hill marks the uorthei'ly Itoundary of the town of Corn- 
wall. The line i)egius at the viver and, running across the tup 
of the hill, continues in a westerly direction until it strikes the 
town of Blooming-grove. The beautiful villa in the angle, 
formed by the road we are traveling and the Moodna Drive, is 
now occupied l)y Mrs. Hoffman, the widow of Ogden Hoifman, 
the eminent lawyer and statesman. It was formerly built and 
owne<l by David Sands, the father of J. & B. Sands, the New 
York druggists of Sarsa])arilla fame. The view from the (idge 
of the bank, at this point, is one of the finest we have of the 
northern gate to the Highlands. 



J 20 NEWBTTIKIH ROAD. 

Leaving' tiic Moixliia Drive iiiiU()tic<Hl lor the |)r<'st'iit. we coii- 
liiiucoii toward \ewl>urj>li. .lust as voii enter on tlie hriilj^c. 
a small eottao-e. with the sij;-ii of Moofhw, Fosf-qpij-e, grv^^tt^ you. 
This siu'ii was caused to be painted and ereeted by the genius 
i>\' Idle-wild, to whose exertions the place is indebted tor its 
present name 'I'lu^ cottag'e was t'ornierly ticcupied by the toll- 
H'atherer, who exacted tribute for eacii ))assag'e over the brid^ic. 
Thanks to the more liberal policy which animated Xewbui'gh. 
New Windsor, and Cornwall, the rights of the Bridge Company 
were secni'ed. in 186H. by purchase, and the passage made tree 
to the public. It was formerly know]i as the Covered Bridge 
from being enclosed on all sides. A few years since, when 
the present arches were erected to stivngthen it, the roof and 
sides, which, in their dilajjidated condition, gave a sense of 
insecurity, were removed. While speaking of the locality, 
we canm^t forbear reix-ating. that it is not only distinguished 
for its connection with the tirst settlement .of Orange county, 
but as th(i scene of Paulding's familiar legend, Xaoniitn, than 
which no wo-rk of Ht'tion has had more extended publication. 

After crossing the bridge, you j>ass over an artificial cause- 
way, with another bridg'c of smaller si/e, under which the tide 
of the Hudson ebbs and Mows. Ijooking to the southward, you 
see a coiisidei'able expanse of low. marshy lantl, occasionally 
submerged entirely by water. Over this the surveys locate the 
West-sh(n'e Kail-road, which is intended to run through the 
Plum Point ravine, instead of to the river side of that |U'omon- 
tory. .V few rods' further drive l)rings you to a road on the 
left — a nai'row road, shut in l)v tn-es and so uni»retending in 
ai»pearance that you ar(^ disposed to look upon it as a fai'iner's 
lane leading to a pasture Held ^'et this road, so retired that 
one might ))ass it a hundred times without noticing its exist- 
ence, furnishes one of the most se(pH'stei-ed and pictures(pi<' 
drives alxmt. We turn our back n])on it. however, and proceed. 
As we look in front of us, a steep hill, known as the Nicoll-hill, 
confronts us. Tlie grade is shar]), and the humane driver will 
give his horse a slack line. About mid\\'ay up the ascent, op- 
ytosite a stalwart oak of venerable years, stands a couple of 
stone columns — the eiitrance to Fhim Poiiil. \ forbidding sign 
— such as we alwavs re"-ret to see — wai'us the public thai the 



l^LUM POINT. 1-21 

uroimds arc |iii\iit(', and iimst nut be tr<'S)»ass('(| iijion liy IIk- 
lilrasiirc seeker. 

This lieaiitit'iil piere ul" talile-hiiid Was named l)_v tlie Poet. 
I'roniontory Lawn. It was tlie j^roperty of tlie late I'liili]) .V. 
Verplanek. It is a spot Inillowed hy IJevolutionury incidents; 
semi-isolated liy the convnisions ot natnre; over-lookin,<i', to tiie 
north, the In-oad expanse ol' Xewl»nru,'li bay; to tiie south, the 
phicid bosom of the hiirryinii' river as it iiears the strait over 
which tlie mij^hty Stonn-kinp,- stands sentinel; to the south-west, 
the (dond-snpportini;' peaks of sha,t;\ii'y nioinitains; to the west, 
the teemin.u' iViiittnlness of lertile slopes. Here should be a 
public pai'k — a want which the r!ii)id ^-rowth ol' Newburij,'h and 
Cornwall will turn lo a necessity in the early i'uture, A more 
beautitnl and a|)propriate site for the purpi>se cannot be found. 
The cliaractei' of the soil, the lay of the laud, the abundance of 
shade atforded l>y the full-ii'idwu timber, the lV()nta<i'e of well 
nio'li a nn'le upon our noble river, tlu^ opportunity of o|)eninji,' a 
circuit drive ol' over two miles — the better part of the way in 
full view of and in close proximity to the river, and all the dis- 
tance throu,i>"h a delicious shade; the natural causeway, arched 
by over-hang-inj>- (dins, leading- to the premises; the chance for 
innumerable winding drives and paths which, under the wand 
of the landscape gardener, would leap into beauty; its accessi- 
liility to the jieople of a dozen towns — these and many other 
advantages which mig'ht be mentioned, unite to nuike I'lum 
Point the place above all others for a public park. 

Laying' aside the future use to which this b(;autiful promon- 
tory should be i)ut, let us glance; for a moment at its Kevolu- 
tionary history. Near the foot of the acclivity on the riverside 
are still to be seen in good yjreservation, the breastworks erect- 
<'d in ITTT. under the sujierintendence of Brig'adier-g-eneral 
Clinton, for the protection of the ahevaux-de-frim which exteuid- 
ed ai-ross the chainud from the southerly end of Plum Point to 
P(.llo])el's Island. It was imunited with a battery of fourteen 
guns, and put in charge of ('aptain .\lacliin, of the Eng'ineer 
Corps. The embankment which was thrown up, with its em- 
brasures at distances of al»out twenty-five feet apart, is still to 
l)e seen — now ovei-shad(,'d with lofty trees of well nigh a cen- 
tury's growth. The camp lire-places, well, and magazine, can 



122 



PLUM POINT— OBSTRUCTIONS. 




REMAINS OF BATTERY. 



easily be traced. They will 
repay a visit. As entrance 
to the grounds from the 
road we are traveling is 
prohibited, we would ad- 
vise tliose desiring to view 
these interesting relics, to 
secure a l)oat from the v(^t- 
eran Ward and row to the 
spot. A weather-stained 
l)ath-honse, on the water's 
edge, will gnid(! the oars- 
man to the proper landing. 
Whilst examining the re- 
mains, the oliserver will be 
interested to know the 
character of the obstruction the battery was erected to protect. 
Judge Monell, in his Washington's Head-quarters, gives an 
accurate description of the obstruction. It ''consisted ol' 'cribs 
oi- S(|iuire frames of timbers 
tilled with stones and sunk 
at inti'rvals across the chan- 
nel, a distance of about iifty- 
three chains. Prom the top 
of each of these cribs and iirmly 
imbedded therein, came up, at an 
angle of about forty-five degrees, to 
within a few feet of the surface of 
the water, spears pointed with iron, 
designed to pierce the l)ottom of any 
vessel that might come upon them." 
Tli(^ iron used in the construction of = 
this impediment to navigation came 
from the Forest O'Dean mines— was spear axo crib. 

traiisporte<i on pack-horses to the smitliery of Jonas Williams, 
in Cornwall, and there turned into shape. The bottom of the 
river no doubt contains tiie debris of the obstruction, as detach- 
ed portions have, from time to time, been brouglit to the surface 
by the ancliors of \essels stop|)ing in the vicinity. The jxiint 




NEWBURGH ROAD NICOLL-HILL. 128 

of Olio of tlio spears, rccovorod a few years since, can be seen 
at the Xewljurg'li Head-quarters. 

While we are at I'luni Point we may trace out tlie site of tlie 
first house in Orange county — that of Colonel Patrick MaCxreg- 
orie. We have ah-eady (pag-e 11) established, from the maixm 
(iftieial record, the precise location of this house, and simply 
remark here that tlie excavation near the battery, sometimes 
spoken of as the site of the house in question, very certainly 
indicates a dift'erent building' — possibly one enacted by some of 
the Scotch emig-rants of 1684, but at a period subsequent to 
the erection by Madregorie. In the boundaries recited in the 
l)atent of 1727 is mentioned "the house of one Macolm (then) 
lately stood." The reference may be to that which covered the 
excavation pointed out; but we incline to the conviction that 
the structure was of a much later date. 

And here we may remark that the name, Plum Point, is as 
old as the occupation of the place by Europeans. Cowonham's 
hill, the Indians called it, acknowledging* the ownership and 
place (jf Slimmer-residence of one of their chiefs — a native lord 
and a primeval watering place.* The Europeans called it 
Plum Point from the abundance of wild plmns they found there. 

Returning to the. road, we continue the ascent of Nicf)ll-hill. 
This hill takes its name from a family of that name, who Avere 
early settlers of this section and possessed of an extended area 
of land lying to the north of the Moodna. The large, substan- 
tial-looking house at the top of the hill, on the left, is the Nicoll 
mansion, at present occupied by Erasttis Ide, the paper manu- 
facturer. From this point the road, for nearly half a mile, is 
perfectly level and well-shaded. It is usually kept in good 
condition, and forms a favorite spot for ''speeding" horses. 
Tlie first hous(^ on the vight, at the back of a capacious lawn 
dotted with elms, is the residence of the widow of the late 
Colonel Ellis — the leader of the gallant 124th Regiment — who 
was killed at Gettysburg. Just before reaching the New Wind- 
sor hill, we come upon a quaint little stone church, standing in 
the angle of the two roads, which converge at this point. This 
is St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, of New Windsor. It is a per- 

* "Indian Tribes of Hndson's River," by E. M. Ruttenber. 



124 HEAD-QITAKTERS AT NEW WINDKOE. 

iect model of beauty tor a rural church, and invarialdy attracts 
The favorabk' criticism of the straug'er. 

As we descend the New Windsor hill, we see to the ri;i'ht, on 
tlic liuiik wiiich slopes to the river's ed.g-e, immense ranks of 
wood, and fui'ther down, the smoothed plane and leng'thy sheds 
which hetdkeii the l)usiness of brick-makiug-. This property is 
now in the possessi(tii of Mr. F. ('orwin. It has a Kevolution- 
ary history of no small int<n-est. It was here, in what was 
known as the old Ellison House, Washinii'ton had his liead- 
(piarters. 'flic liuildiiiii' was taken down some years since, 
'file cottag'e in which Mr. Corwin resides, was (ittcd u]j and 
improv(;d Ity 'fliomas Ellison, a ii>-raudson of William KUison, 
who erected the oriji'inal building". 'Squire Silas ("oiwiii. now 
al the advanced ag-e of eig'hty-live, with all his faculties unim- 
paired, resides here with his son; The Experiment, the tiist 
freig-ht-boat that plied the Hudson, was built near this point by 
the 'Squire in 182*1. He still retains the vigor of his earli(>r 
days. .Vbout five years since, he was loosening- the chiy with a 
t'row-bar for the workmen, when the instrument struck some- 
thing hard, which, upon examination, proved to l)e a Mexican 
water-jug. It was placed with the mouth downward, resting 
on a flat stone. It contained six lunuh-ed and fifty Spanish 
and Mexican silver dollars, whicli came forth nearly as bright 
as the day they were coined. The treasure had prol)ably been 
buried by soiae Revolutionary officer, who subsequently died 
without revealing- the secret. Near l\v still stands the old 
smoke house in which William Ellison concealed his plate dur- 
ing- the passag-e of the Brivish tleet up the river, after the taking- 
of Forts ('linton and Montg-omery. Whilst eng-ag-ed in remov- 
ing clay, iimiierous relics of an int(>resting- character liave been 
(ixhumed, particular mention oi' which we must pass. The Elli- 
son Mouse was used by Washington for his Head-quarters at 
New Windsor diu-iiig a good portion of the years 1719, '80. '81. 
\{ this point the road diverges. Fat-h branch, however, leads 
to Newburgh. We will follow the more easterly, which is com- 
monly called the Hiver IJoad, and return by way oi' the other, 
'fhe iuiildiiig at the foot oi' the hill, on the rig'ht. is the (t/«.v.s 
W'orks It was crecteil, some few ycai's sim-e, by a company 
ol Newbiirg-li (-apitalists. with a \iew ol manufat-tiu-ing glass 



NEW WINDSOK DEWITT CLINTON. 12.") 

t'niiii ;i ix'ciiliar stone ludii^'lit IVoiu the side (if Stoi'iii-kiiiu'. The 
expeiiiueiit proved ;i tiiuuiciiil failure and the property, after 
lyiii.n" idle for a few years, caiiu! into th(! possession ol" Mi-. Bnr- 
roiiji'hs. I)y whom tiie nianufactiire ol' y-hiss liottles is now car- 
ried on. 'riie process is of sutticieiit interest to justify a stoj) 
of the tra\('h'r, wlio will be warndy welcomed by the u'cnial 
pi'oprietor. Hut a short distant'c north itf the present works, a 
similar industry — the tirst ol' the kind in the connty — ^was car- 
I'ied on anterior to the iievolution. it ceased to exist after the 
wai-. Kau'cr. in his History of Oranji'c Connty, r(dates a tra- 
dition ol' the I'oreman of the (ilass-house iicinii' shot l>y some 
hunters, who mistook him in the dark for a i\ci'V. which at that 
lime were plenty in this section. 

'file collection of time-worn, paintless, half-decayed building-.s 
which here liiu' the road, mark the site of prindtive New Wind- 
.-•o/-. Yet forl)idding' as it is in appearaiu-e it boasts the possess- 
ion if not of the birth-place, the early n^sidence of the ,ii:ift- 
ed UeWitt Clinton. His parents resided in the house on the 
lelt. near the foot of the hill, at tin; time of his birth, but his 
advent occurre<l while his mother was on a visit to her brother 
in Deerpark. His fatliei' was then resident ag'ent and surveyor 
for a company of capitalists wlio had boui2,'ht the land here and 
cut it up into streets and lots, with a view to fouiul a city. The 
scheme, it is hardly necessary to say, failed. 

As far back as 1732, Williani Ellison ki^it a store here and 
sailed sloops to New York. The freightin;j' business of a very 
considerable portion of the liack country found its outlet here. 
A dock, the r<'mains of which can still be traced, was luiilt to 
acconnnodate the shippinji," interests of that early day. But its 
prosperity waned after the Revolution, when a considerable num- 
ber of energetic othcers and privates of the army took uplands 
at Newliurg'h and turne(| u)>ou her slioi'es the incoming" tide of 
population and coimnerce. New Windsor is now a jdace ol' no 
commert'ial importance^ whatever. ^ 

Till- numerons l)rick-yards that are now encountered give rise 
to an active industry. The clay-banks of New Windsor and 
Cornwall yiekl material of most excellent (juality, and are ap- 
parently inexhaustil)le. Tl'c tine, clear sand, so indispensable 
in brick-making, is fonnd in abnndance and li(dps to cn'onomise 



126 THE YALE A TRADITION. 

the cost of manufacture. After leaving the last of the brick- 
yards, the road sweeps gracefully ax'ound the Christie promon- 
tory, and runs its course close to the river's edge, over a semi- 
causeway, in part natural, in part artiticial. Of a summer 
afternoon when the rays of the sun are obstructed by the inter- 
vening hill, this is the most delightful section of the drive to 
Newburgh. 

Our further progress is shortly arrested by the unwelcome 
toll-gate, which zealously guards the entrance to Xewl)urgh. 
Why a city of nearlj^ twenty thousand inhalutants should suffer 
this relic of a barbarous age to sentin(»l its portals, we will not 
stop t(j inquire. 

The stream wliich here debouches into the Hudson, is known 
indiscriminately as Chambers' creek and Quassaick creek. The 
former was given it owing to its having lieen the boundary 
line of a patent granted at an early day to a person by the 
name of Chambers. Of late, there is a strong leaning in favor 
(jf calling the streamlet Quaftmick, a word of Indian derivation 
and as pretty as it is suggestive. Quassaick creek is the out- 
let of Orange lake, a beautiful sheet of water to the north- 
west of Newburgh, of which we will come to speak in another 
connection. Along the line of the creek are numerous mills 
and manufactories. The water-power is abundant and reliable 
at all seasons of the year. The defik; through which the creek 
has worn its bed, is known as The Vale. It was formerly a 
picturesque spot, shut in by the bluffs on either side, embower- 
ed by trees, interspersed with walks and water-courses, and 
a few droning mills It was tluMi a favorite resort of the 
people. Much of its primitive beauty remains — much has been 
destroyed by the approaches of connnerce and the erection f)f 
private n^sidences, which liave alike tended to exclude the pub- 
lic from rambling through the grounds. Tradition locates one 
of hei' most intei'esting stories at this point. During the Revo- 
lution, near the spot^iow occupied by the Superintendent of the 
Coal Company, a tory by the name of Ettrick resided. The 
adjacent lands were (-(jvered with a dense forest growth, giving 
to the place the name of P]ttrick drove. Washingbm, who at 
the time was holding his Head-quarters at the Ellison House, 
New Windsor, had been invited liy Ettrick to join a social 



PENNSYLVANIA COAL COMPANY. 127 

i>-:itli('rin!;' at liis house. Kttrick's i)artizaiisliii) was niiaiiiKUiiic- 
('(I. He had taken no active part on one side or the other, but 
at lieart ho was in favor of the Bi-itish king-. He eoiinived tlie 
phiii of making- Washington captive, and for this pHr))ose ask- 
(ul liini to liis house. A daughter of Kttrick, who syinpatliized 
with the American cause, overhearing the conversation of the 
conspirators, conve\'e<l the intelligence to Wasliington. The in- 
vitation was accepted. The (rcneral was foHowed by a detacli- 
ilient of liis faithful guards, disguised in plain farmer's clothes. 
.\s they drew near the house in a careless way, according to the 
plan he had tixed with his confederates, Ettrick mistook them 
and stepping up to Washington and tapping him on the shoul- 
der, exclaimed: 'TTeneral, 1 believe you are my prisoner !" "I 
believe not, sir," quietly replied Washington, taking- out his 
watch, "l)ut you are mine. The men at your doors are under 
my command; your friends are not to arrive until thi'ee; you 
see it lacks a quarter of an hour of that time !" Ettrick con- 
fessed his error, and Washington, after holding- him prisoner for 
a short time, permitted him, out of deference to his daughter, 
to remove to Nova Scotia. 

The road that shoots to the left at the toll-gate, leads through 
the A^ale and connects with Q,uassaick avenue, about a half mile 
distant. By following it we escape the tribute exacted by New- 
burgh of all visitors who enter her precincts by way of the 
river road. Let us pay toll, however, and cross the bridge. The 
new brick building on the terraced lawn, is the office of the 
Penns_i| Ivania ('oal Company, whose l)usiness is carried on at 
this point. The trestle-work under which we pass, is used l)y 
the cars for conveying the coal for trans-shipment. The location 
of the (Joal-works furnish unsurpassed facilities for the econom- 
ical purchase of that necessary article, in which the people of 
Cornwall share alike with Newburgh. The road now follows 
the river's edge, at the foot of a sodded terrace, the summit of 
which is traversed by the Erie Branch Railway. If your horse 
is nervous or inclined to frighten at the cars, it will be well to 
keep him in hand, for, without a moment's notice, you are liable 
to encounter a train, rattling and thundering over your head. 
Fortunately you have a choice in entering the city. By taking 
the street to the left, near Bigler's saw-mills, you pass mtdei 



l:>s 



HEAD-QUAKTEES AT NEWBUKGH. 



the ti-;ick ; liy (•oiitiiiniiiu' on. ynii i.);iss orer it. Kitlicr nnito 
will soon liriiiu' you t<i Washiju/(<m\-< Head-ijuarters. Tliis build- 
iuu' was tuniierly known ass tlic Hasbrouck Hoiisp tVoni the tact 
of its luiviu!^- been in main i)arl built by Colonel .lonathan Has- 
lirouck. and occupied by liini down to 1 780. tlie tii i' his death. 




IIKAIi-i,H ARTKH^ N i >!;|'H-KA<T \ 1K\^- 

The structure is ol' rouo-li o-v;iy stone, one story liitili. lit'ty-six 
leet front l)y tbrty-six dee|t. and its ii-eneral outline partakes 
stroUi>'ly of that peculiar older of architecture for whit-|i our 
Dutch ancestors were noted. Washiiig'ton occuiiied it as Head- 
(juarters from the si;)rinii-of 17S-2 to th(> summer of 1788. during 
which time many of the most memorable incidents in the history 
ol' oin- country took place. On the 5th of November. 1783, the 
army was disbanded on the lawn in front of the house, when 
tiie farewell orders of the ( -ommander-in-cliief were read at the 
head of each reg'iment. 

1)1 1849 the title to the i)roperty became vested in the people 
of the State, liy virtm^ of a foreclosure sale, and in 1S50. by 
an act of the Legislature, it was placed under care of the 
'friiste<\s <>\' the Village of Newburg-h, with directions to kec]) 
it in the same condition as when occuiiied by Washington. 
'Hiese directions have been scrupulously followed. 

The interior arrang-(nnents of the building are d((S(;ril)ed by 
diidge .\lon(dl in his Hand-book, as follows: " The large room 
which is entered from the ])ia//,a on the east, known as ■ fiir 
room iiufh .srrr// doorx and out' irindoir," was used as the dining 
and sitting-room. It is without ceiling and is spanned by 
heavw smoothl\- hewn oak timliers. On the south side of the 



i^ jjiyi^lalM^v^ES'tf^liaBlfe 




HEAD-QUAKTERS AT NEWBUlUiH. 



\-29 



inoiii is till' tirc-|)lacc, with its wide. u|icn cliiiiiiicy. siin',u'('stiv(' 
(if lni.!j,'(' l)iicl<-l(»<;'s and massive liics. Tlic old siiin-lc wiiidoAV 
still uM\(>s liu'lit on the cast; the seven ancient ddors afVord the 
means of in,<i,"ress and ej^-fess. On tlie nortli was \Vasliin^M()n's 
licd-rooMi, and adjoiniii<;- it. that occnpiecl \>\ llamiltmi when liis 
wife was witii him — at otliei' times liisroom was up stairs. Tlie 
family room was on the south. It is n')W usecl to pi-eserve and 
exhiliit relics from the liattle-fields of the l!e\dlutioii. with some 

EAST FKONT. 



r 


5T00P 


/.; 


'^L 


>. G 


5 

J~ 




A. — Sittiug Room. B. — Family Room. C. — Kitchen. 1). — Hall. 

E. — Wasbiugton's Parlor. F. — Hamilton's Bed-room. 

(t. — WashiiiKtoii".'! Bed-i'oom, H. — Store-room. 

from the war of 1S12, and also from the ^^exiean war. It is 
the oldest ])art of the Imildiiii;'. The parlor was the north-west 
room : the kitchen, the south-west room. Between tiie latter 
and foi'miM' aic a store-room, hall and stair-case." 

.\ room with ■"seven dooi's and one window,'" is an art'hitec- 
tural monstrosity, difficult to conceive. Vet liei'e we have it. 
and a sinnlar chamber probably does not exist (dsewhei'c. It 
was in this loom that VVashiny-ton ate and li\-ed. .Minute ac- 
counts of the domestic arraii!.i('nients duriiiL;' his occupation of 



180 



THE CITY OF NEWBURGH. 



tlie building- were noted by contemporaneous liistorians, and 
liave been carefully compiled by Judge Monell in his Hand-boolv, 
which may be obtained on application to the janitor in charge 
of tlie building. For some time past a lively interest has been 
taken by prominent Newburghers, among whom was the late 

Enoch Carter, in secur- 
ing rare and valuable 
relics to be placed on 
deposit here. T h e i r 
efforts have been re- 
warded with a good 
shar(! of success. 

After examining the 
relics at Head -quar- 
ters, we issue forth 
for an inspection of 
Newburgh. This city 
is but live miles dis- 
tant from Cornwall, 
and between the two 
places there is com- 
munication by four or 
more regular stage 
lines. The road by 
which we have ci'ine 
clindjs the hills, ma- 
king the drive well 
nigh an hour long. A 
more direct and almost 
level route can be 
p o i n te d out, over 
which we ho])e to see, 
at an early day, the 
horse-cars running. — 
The advantage of lo- 
cating near a large 
and growing city, can- 
not l)e overrated. Newburgh is to Cornwall what New York 
is to Morrisania : a vast em])orium for the supply of every want 




THE CITY OF NEWBUKGH. 131 

at rcasoiuible j)rices. Water street is not Broadway, of course, 
Imt 3'et the slu'lves of her merchants are stored with a well- 
assorted stock ot" };'oods, from which the custiimer (;an most 
always make a selection. Churches of ev<;ry denomination, and 
schools ([)rivate and public) of unsurpassed excellence, are here 
to be found. 

The Ilill-side City, as Newburt-h has iieen a[)tly called, is n(»t 
oidy the most beautiful, l)ut, with the excei)tion ])erhaps of 
Poug-hkeepsie, the most prosperous on tlie Hudson. Her geo- 
graphical position, aided by favorable railroad ctmnections and 
peculiar facilities for the supply of cheap coal, have attracted 
a varied and numerous industry. Manufactories of different 
kinds have here found a congenial location. Among the more 
prominent may be mentioned the cotton mills, woolen mills, 
paper mills, grist mills, plaster and cement mills, the iron works 
and saw mills. These establishments employ a large niunber 
of operatives, and are frequently run night and day. 

Two daily papers are published, the Telegraph and the Jour- 
nal. The former is a morning issue, Democratic in politics, and 
under the editorship of J. J. McNally; the latter is ct)nducted 
by C. B. Martin, is an evening paper and Republican in politics. 
Each has a weekly issue for country circulation, and as they 
have regular correspondents at Cornwall to furnish local news, 
botli papers should be taken by those who wish to keep " u]> " 
in Cornwall doings. There are a number of hotels, the United 
States and the Orange being the principal. The United States 
is situated on Frt)nt street, and confronts the stranger as he 
issues from the ferry boat. It was recently modernized, after 
its partial destruction by fire, and is now kept by the Goodsell 
Brothers. The Orange is located on Water street, the main 
business thoroughfare of the city. 

Communication with the Hudson River Railroad is had l)y 
means of two ferries, one to Duchess Junction and the other to 
Fishkill. All trains stop at one or the other of these stations, 
and people with business in the upper part of the City prefer 
this route to the Erie. 

The suburbs to the north of Newburgh are noted f(jr their 
beauty. TIk^ streets are well-shaded, and lined by the parks 
and villas of the wealthy. The existence of the Powelton 



132 THE CITY OF NEWBUKGH. 

House, funiicilv ill this quarter, made the ueig'lilioriuji' seeiies 
familiar to thousauds (if metropolitaus wlio jiatronized tliat pop- 
ular resort. The Powelton was destroyed l>y lire, a few years 
since, and has not been rebuilt. 

XcAvliur^'h, althoug'h young' in luunicipal years, having- only 
thrown aside her village g'arments in l!S(io. is. in all res|)ects, a 
city of the first order. Her att'airs are conducted by a ^[ayor 
and Board of Aldermen, with tlie other necessar}^ departments. 
The inhabitants are supplied Avith excellent water from a small 
lake to the west of the city, known as Little Pond. The houses 
are lig'hted with g-as. and the Fire Department -is supplied with 
a new improved steam tire engine. 

In otir drive fi'om Cornwall, it will lie remembered we entered 
the city by passing uuder the railroa<l track. If \ve had con- 
tinued straight on, we would have traversed South-Water street 
and noted the de})dt and buildings ot" the Erie Company, along 
the river bank. At this point the Newbnrgh Branch has its 
tide-water terminus. It tai)s the trunk line at (xreycourt, about 
sixteen miles distant. It was cfinipleted in 1849. CVmnnuni- 
cation with the City by rail was formerly made over the Branch. 
The route was circuitous and deiiendent upon rather hazardous 
connections at Ureycourt. In 1869 the present Short-cut was 
built, furnishing a direct and speedy connection with the busi- 
ness part of Xew York. 

In returning to Cornwall, we now invite the reader to a new 
and difterent route. The mad by which we came itllowed a fair 
chance of viewing the river and the encampment of tent-like 
movnitains on the Duchess side. The one we propose to take on 
our way back will open iidand scenes of rare beauty, and ini- 
mei'ous ol)jects of past and jiresent interest. We emerge from 
Newburgh by way of Western avenue, a broad and pleasant 
street which dates its origin back to the first settlement of the 
country, dust before reaching llaskins' oil-cloth factory, which 
stands at the lirow of an acclivity, we turn abruptly to the left, 
and follow the street leading to tlie liridge which was thrown 
over (^uassaick creek a few years since. The m^mnfactories in 
the chasm which the bridge spans, are employecl on woolen 
goods^ — chiefly blankets. The Erie road-track li(>s beneath the 
bridge. Not far east from this point, in I8lt». Peter Townsend 



QUASSAICK AVENUE. 133 

('rci't('(l ;i cannon foundry, und at it the first cannon inainifac- 
tnrcd in the State is said to have been cast. 

After crossing the bridg-e, a short distance brings us tt) the 
cottage and grounds of tlie late C. H. Havcrneyer. The road 
on which they front leads tln-ongh the Vale, to the river road, 
emerging at the toll-gate, before alluded to. Continuing on, we 
presently meet a beautiful villa, built in the Italian style, set 
well back from the road on a gentle eminence and surrounded 
by a dense forest growth. It is the residenc(^ oi' Major W. C. 
n. Sherman. The next gate-way on the left is the entrance to 
Cedar-lawn, the former residence of the Hon. Joel T. Headley, 
the historian. A casual glimpse of the liousc is all that can be 
had, owing to the numerous trees with which the lawn is dotted. 
As we proceed, we note, on the continuing ridge occupied by 
iMajor Sherman, a couple of new, substantial stone structures 
recently erected at a considerable cost by Mr. Roe. The drive 
from this point is well-shaded by the cedars which line the road 
on either side. At a distance of about a mile from the Quas- 
saick bridge, we come upon Woodlaivn Cemetery, wliich owes 
its existence to the eflbrts of the late Mayor Clark, of New- 
burgh. The grounds have been neatly laid out in plots, drives 
and walks opened, and a lodge-house of brick erected at the 
entrance. As yet, but few interments have been made, and 
those largely embrace removals from other grounds. 

The road to the left (Union avenue) would conduct us back 
again to Washington's Head-quarters at New Windsor, which 
we described on our upward trip. As it presents no object 
worthy of special mention, we will continue on along the road 
upon which tiie cemetery fronts, which at this point assumes 
the name of Quassaick avenue. This avenue was opened about 
five years since, but, as yet, lias not been properly graded or 
widened. It possesses no particular attractions, and we hasten 
over it. It soon connects with the VaiPs-gate and New Wind- 
sor road, over which we desire to pass. We have not gone far 
before we encounter the elegant residence of Major Thomas 
Morton, on the right. Major Morton is widely known as one of 
the most enthusiastic patrons in the rearing of fine stock. His 
stables are well-filled with aninuils of the best blood — the Ham- 
bletonian, of course predominating. In the rear of the house, 
c 9 



J 84 



KNOX'S HEAD-QXTARTEES. 



lir has a |»iivatc track tor cxtTcisiiiii- his cdIts. whirli is pro- 
ii(iiiiKM"(l til ))(_• as fine a one as tiicrc is in the State. 

The road whicli is presently iiiet shooting' to the h't't. coiineets 
with the river road at the foot of Nicoll-iiill. A little furtlier on. 
we come to a plain frame house, on the left, standing* amid a 
perfect wilderness of forest g'rowth, on a g-entle rise of g^ronnd. 
It is the summer home of the Hon. Justice E. \j. Fancher, who 
at present fills a seat on the Suiireme Court liench in the First 
Judicial District. 

Judg'e Fancher's residence is close to one of the most remai'k- 
ahle building's in the country, which we now approach. John 
Ellison, the brother of William, with whom the reader is already 
familiar, made a settlement here in 1735. At that time it was 
a wild, unti'Hversed jungde. The hardy pioneer made a small 
clearance and put up a rude log' hut, which answered his pur- 
pose for a nundier of years. It was eventually torn down, and 

the quaint structure erected, now 
widely known as K)ioys Head- 
<iuarterx. The building- is of that 
marked and peculiar character 
which id(>iitifies it to the stianger 

at even 




ive panes of glass 

set in their heavy 

sash, — all help to 

franu^ a picture of 

architecture, simple and ([uaint. The location also heig'htens 

the interest. The site was chosen with a view of utilizing" the 

water of a beantiful stream (Silver creek), which takes its rise 

in th<! hills beyond Washing'ton S(piare and em))ties into th(! 

.Moodna. .\t the point we are considering, the stream expand- 



FORGE-HILL— MOODNA VALLEY. 135 

(•(1 iiild a l)r();nl sheet, iire|i!iiiit(ii\v t(i lakiii^' its dyiii^' leap 
tlinini;li a deep j^'orge to the Moodiia below. The road was 
iiwuU' t(i cross this watery plane, thereby fbniiiii<i,' twin lakelets, 
by the side oi' the lower of which Mr. Kllison built his house. 
Near by, still stand th(; tiouriiii;' mills, which are about the old- 
est ill the country. DuriiiL!,' the llevolutioii the hous(! to whic'h 
we ai-e calling- attention, was occu|)ied by (Jeueral Kno.x as his 
liea(l-(iuarters. In coni))any with (ireneral Knox, it was also 
siiared by (xeiieral (ireene, VVashinj>-ton's favorite officer. The 
property has ol' late been owned l)y Major ('has. F. Morton, who 
occui)icd it up to the time of his death, a few years siiu-e. 

Let us now leave the road we are pursuing- (with the promise 
of an eai'lv retuiii), and make a slig'ht detour on the Korge-hill 
road, which leads us to tlu' far-down bed of the Moodna. This 
road takes its name from the forge of donas Williams, to which 
we will presently allude. It was of frequent nse dnring the 
Revolution. Tradition r(dates an incident of the great and 
good Lafayette, which may projx'rly receive mention in this 
connection. The officers oi' the patriot army were not the an- 
choi'iti's that some historians would have us believe. The soci- 
alities and ameinties of civili/.ed life wei'c not entirely forgotten 
in Held or camp. General Knox, and, in particular his wife, 
were noted for their hos])italitv. It was their habit to give occa- 
sional parties, to which the offic<'rs of the army were invited. 
One had been determined upon in honor of (Jeneral Lafayette, 
who was obliged to cross the creek to I'cach the scene of the 
evening's eiitertaimnent. At that time no bridge was in exist- 
ence, and the stream had to be forded. Lafayette, dressed in 
his best, conunitted his person to the back of a \mr\y Irishman 
lor transportation. Through accident or design, — which, is not 
certain, — the Irishman dropped his burden in the creek. The 
(xeneral, with his raiment thoroughly soaked, returned home, 
and for that evening, at least, was absent from the dance. 

The descent of Forge-hill is accomplished by means of a nar- 
row road shelved out of the cliff' side. A deep gorge, lined with 
lotty trees and sapling undergrowth, and guarded indiff'erently 
by an insecure rail, gives the pnM-ipitous roadway an appear- 
ance of danger which the weird and lonely character of the 
place in no way lessens. The roar of unseen waters alone dis- 



136 THE WILLIAMS HOUSE. 

turbs the air as we tread our path beneath the over-haii<>-ii)g 
branches to the sunless glen below. At the foot of the hill we 
see to the right a substantial dam, over which the water plays 
in copious volume, and immediately in front stands the red 
Ijridge spanning the Moodna. After crossing the bridge, the 
iirst house on the right is commonly known as the Williams 
House. It was built in 1155 by Samuel Brewster, who had a 
saw-mill nearly opposite, on the stream. 

When the British took possession of Long Island, a party of 
forty young Whigs abandoned their homes and sought shelter 
elsewhere. Among them was Jonas Williams who came to 
Cornwall and settled here. He was then twenty-one years old. 
He married Miss Abigail, daughter of Samuel Brewster, whose 
saw-mill had then given way to a forge and anchor shop. Upon 
the death of Mr. Brewster, Jonas Williams continued the busi- 
ness. During the Revolution the chains, used to obstruct the 
river, wereniade, under the direction of General James Clinton, 
at this forge. The iron came from the Forest O'Dean mine. We 
iiave it from an old I'esident (whose mother frequently told the 
story) that Mr. Williams made two trips a week, himself, to the 
mines. In returning, he rode one horse and led three, all load- 
ed with the ore. Only those acquainted with the distance and 
mountainous road to be traversed, can form any idea of the 
difficult and perilous journey he performed. 

But these hardy pioneers were equal to the occasion at all 
times. It is related of Mr. Williams that whilst riding in a 
one-horse chaise up Forge-hill, one evening at twilight, he was 
met by a four-horse team descending at a furious pace, with a 
charcoal wagon attached, the coal being on fire. Quietly get- 
ting out of liis chaise without alarming his wife, who accompa- 
nied him, he took his horse by the head and backed him down 
the bank out of harm's way. The run-away team, with the flam- 
ing wagon, thundered by him, never stopping till they came near 
drowning in the stream below. Mr. Williams' presence of mind 
averted what seemed, at first, an inevitable catastrophe. 

The site of the old forge can easily be traced. The cinders 
are turned up by the plough, and the debris are yet to be seen. 

The Williams H<mse has an interesting historical importance. 
It was, for a brief period, the Head-quarters of General Lafayette. 



THE WILLIAMS HOUSE. 137 

In tlio cellar, the vault in wliicli the specie, raised from the loan 
by Holland, to pay off the suifering troops, was placed, is still 
seen. Upon the occasion of a recent visit, we found the cellar 
tenanted by a group of barn-door fowls and a huge pile of cord- 
wood ranked against the walls. The occupant of the building 
insisted that the chamber to which he had conducted us embrac- 
ed all that was to be seen. Striking a match, however, we dis- 
covered by its light a door, leading to a passage-way behind 
the chimney-base which formed part of the cellar wall. In this 
chimney is built a recess or vault, in which the money was put 
and then masoned up. The stone-work is as perfect as on the 
day it was laid. Looking over-head, we may get an idea of the 
substantial manner in which our ancestors built their houses. 
The floor-beams are of oak and sufficiently strong to support a 
modern church. 

The house has been considerably altered by Mr. Ide, the pres- 
ent owner. New siding has been put on with batons, and the 
exterior painted yellow. There is enough of the original build- 
ing left to give an idea of its character. The front door, with 
its carved jambs and lintel; the chimney architraves with their 
curious recesses, and the quaint balustrades to the stairway, 
excite the interest of the visitor. 

Jonas Williams occupied this house for a number of years. 
At a later day, he built the large house now occupied by Mr. 
Peter Roe, who married his daughter, Susan Elizabeth. Mr. Roe, 
now past his eightieth year, but in hale and vigorous health, is 
the father of James G. Roe, the proprietor of the Glen-ridge 
Hotel; also, of the Rev. Alfred C. Roe, the former principal of 
the Cornwall Academy, and of the Rev. E. P. Roe, the author of 
the recent popular work entitled Barriers Burned Away. 

Not far from the Williams House, on the opposite side of the 
road, there was formerly a colored folks' cemetery. 

Resuming our journey, we pass over the mill-race, and soon 
see to the left, guarded by four sturdy pines of venerable 
growth, a dilapidated, barn-like structure which dates its origin 
anterior to the Revolution. It was run as a flouring-mill, when 
first erected, by Jonas Williams & Sons, who supplied the gov- 
ernment post at West Point with flour. The military officers at 
West Point frequently visited the family of Mr. Williams, who 



13S MOODNA-V ALLEY MANUFACTORIES. . 

had Hvc (liinjiiitcvs — s|)riii'litlY, brig'lit, intollio-ciit vonii,^' ladies, 
wild sulisciinciitly married as follows: Mary to Jac^ol) Drake, of 
New York; Anna, John Nicoll. of New Windsor; Helen, Dr. .1. 
B. .lohnes, of .Nforristown; Susan E., Mr. Peter Roe, and Ahig'ail 
to Sanil. Oakhn', of New "^'ork. Mr. Williams was in the habit of 
riding- on horse-bai-k to the Point to eollect the money du(^ him. 

.lonathan and .Jacob Morrill subsequ(Mitly took possession of 
the mill and eng-ajj-ed in the manufacture ol' t'ut nails. They 
carried on a very extensive and flourishing" business. Fiom tlu' 
hands ol' the Morrills the property went into the posssssion of 
(■aleb and Thomas Williams, who embarked in the preparation of 
snuft", which they sold IVom their wag'ons throughout the country. 
Reil & Storm were the next owners, and to the business of siuitl' 
manufacture they added that of fine-cut tobacco. The next 
proprietor was Mrs. ^[iller, whose " Rose-leaf Snuft" and Tobac- 
co " enjoyed a world-wide fame. Adjacent to the property is a 
field of about four acres, known as the Rose Lot, where the 
rosi^s were grown for the purpose of scenting the tobacco. The 
variety selet'ted was what was called the Philadelphia Kose. 
The fragrance from four acres of roses in full bloom must have 
produced an olfactory sensation seldom experienced. 

The building we are considering has l)een named the Sham- 
rock House, by Mr Ide, (mi of honor to the nationality of the 
tenants by whom of late it has been occupied. Immediately to 
tlH> north and in close proximity stands a stone building' erected 
by Mrs. Millei' for tlie accommodation of lier tobacco business, 
wliic-h was carried on subse(|uently by luu- son-in-law. A. ll. 
Mickle, who was at one time Mayor of tlie city of New York. 

About 1848, Leonard, \hmo & Xicoll jmt up a factory for the 
manufacture of cotton go<)ds on tlu' site now occupied by the 
])a))er mills. The first story was of brick and the two upjier, 
iVame. In September, 1845, it was wholly destroyed by fire. 
A cou]de of years afterwards it was rebuilt wholly of brick, 
and run by an Englishman Ity the name of Ha/.elhurst. for a few 
years, as a shoddy mill. In 1850, the pro])erty was purchased 
l)y David and David F. B. ('arson and P^i'astus Ide, and convert- 
('(1 into a paper mill, to which use it has been devoted ever since, 
with some change or other in the ])ro])rietorshi)). The only paper 
now made a1 these nulls is a sujx'rior (pnility of wi'iting and 



M()()J)NA-VALLEY MANUFACTORIES. ] 8<) 

Icdo-cr papers, which, uikUt the p(i))uhir tiadc-iiiarks of Hio-li- 
laiid Mills and Valley F(ir!j,'e. have ohtained a wide and well- 
deserxcd re|)iitati(>n. 

.Mr. Ide, the present proprietor, tells lis that some years since 
he took down«n old hum which stood near the Williams House. 
'The IVanie was found to have been joincnl to,t;'etlier with scrihe- 
ruTe an<l pod-aut;'ur tenons. The shin,<;les were of cedar, ahont 
foiU' feet loni>', and held to their place, as was the sidin^^', by 
wrou,ij,'ht-iron nails, 'i'o prevent sj)littin|L!,", holes had been first 
bored where the nails were <lriven. 

Continuiiifi' our journey, we pass alony' a well-made road, the 
Moodna all the while coquettinf^' with us — now closing- and then 
receding'. As we near its mouth, we come on the linen mills of 
Whiteside Bi-others. This site was, at a very early day, occu- 
pied for a tlour mill, erected by Samuel Sackett. It subse(pu'nt- 
ly jjassed into the hands of Lawrence & Wyckofll', and then to 
Wyckoft' & Van Buren. .\[r. Van Bnren was a cousin of the 
President of that name. T'he mill had four run of stones, and 
a daily i)rodncing' capacity of one hundred bai'rels ol' tlour. 
People from all parts of the country came to this mill with their 
g'rists. It was no infre(puMit matter to see a line of wagons a 
half-mile long, waiting their turn to unload their wheat. Forty- 
five years ago, grain was l)rouglit to this ))oint from as far back 
as the northern part of New Jersey. 

Among- the things of the past which formerly existed in this 
section, may be mentioned a tan-yard, owned by Britton Moore 
and subsequently by Mr. Delamater; a rope-walk, also conduct- 
ed by Mr. Delamater (1830); also a sawmill and a plaster mill. 
The farmers of the early days are said to have patroinzed the 
plastei' mill very liberally. T'he saw mills were busily engaged 
in sawing timber brought in by the farmers of the adjacent 
country, and occasionally rafts from the river w(!re purchased 
and converted into lumber, in 1845 the Houring mills were 
bought by William B. Leonard, and converted into a cotton 
factory, and run as such up to I8(i0. T'he present proprietors, 
Whiteside Brothers, secured control of the property in 18H2. 
Machinery for tlu; nuiiiufacture of linen goods was impt)rted 
from Ireland. Artisans, skilled in their peculiar line, were 
brought over to operate it. The experiment, as might be ex- 



140 MOODNA-V ALLEY MANUFACTORIES. 

pected, mot with iudifFerent success, and after a trial of five 
years, was abandoned, since wliicli time the mills have remain- 
ed idle. 

A moment's further drive now brings to view the estuary into 
which the Moodna debouches. The long bridge "^hich we see 
has already been described. The early history of this spot is 
highly interesting and has already been alluded to. At present 
we wish to call attention to the dock and store-house, which for- 
merly stood below S. Smith's Half-way House. Before the Rev- 
olution and for a lengthy period afterwards, a considerable com- 
merce was carried on at this point. The products of the vari- 
ous mills we have been considering, were carried to market by 
means of vessels which loaded and unloaded at the dock in 
question. As late as 1845, Capt. Parker sailed a sloop carry- 
ing from here in main, snuif, tobacco and flour. Adjoining the 
dock and store-house, Nathaniel Sands had a cider-mill and dis- 
tillei-y, which did business up to 1828. It is not unreasonable 
to suppose that tlie fame and riches to which his sons subse- 
quently attained from the manufacture and sale of their noted 
Sarsaparilla, were owing to the knowledge acquired in the old 
distillery. An early proprietor of extended lands in this sec- 
tion was Samuel Sackett, before alluded to. He built the orig- 
inal of the house now occupied by Mrs. Ogden Hoffman. He 
owned all south of the Moodna, extending as far to the east as 
Idle-wild, and to the west so as to include the Crane farm. 
Tliere was a reservation, however, of a few acres along the 
Sloop-hill ridge, owned by Vincent Helmus, the grandfather of 
David Edmondston, whose cottage stands at the junction of the 
river-road with the Newburgh turnpike. Vincent Helmus had 
a house (now gone) on the east slope of Sloop-hill. 

Fifty years ago the Moodna region furnished rare sport to 
the hunter and angler. The estuary between Sloop-hill and 
Plum Point was a favorite resort f(jr wild fowl; whilst percli, 
sun-iish and bass were caught in large numbers. Shad fre- 
([uently found their way up the creek and were taken near the 
first dam. Above the dam, tliat sweet but much reviled fish the 
" sucker," was sought after in a peculiar manner. In the 
month of April, iiumbers of people from Vail's-gate took their 
])osition on the north side of the stream, whilst tlie villagers 



THE ELLISON HOUSE— METHODISM. 141 

from Cuutoi'bury would occu[)y tlic Kouth side. The fisliiiig was 
done in tlie niji,-ht tiino with scapp-nets. Fires were built and 
tlie familiar jug- was frequently passed around. Many remain- 
ed all nig'lit engaged in the sport, and the "catch " is reported 
by old residents to have been fabulous. 

Let us now return to Hen. Knox's Head-quarters, I'roiu whicli 
we turned for our trip through the Moodiia. An old resident 
tnrnishes us a story told by the late Major Edmondston about 
John Ellison, who owned and ran the mill at this point. Most 
of our local readers are familiar with the history of Claudius 
Smith, a noted cow-l)oy of the Revolution, who lived west of 
the Highlands, in the Ramapo valley, now Monroe. Claudius 
was the protype of the modern Lowerre. He was engaged in 
all sorts of thieving, and in his marauds did not hesitate to cut a 
throat or two to avoid detection or satiate revenge. He expi- 
ated his many crimes- on the gallows at Goshen, 22d January, 
1779. About dusk one evening he rode up to Ellison's Mill, 
followed by a couple of confederates, each in charge of a 
wagon load of wheat. The wheat was sold and delivered. 
Claudius then informed Mr. Ellison that he had two more loads 
at home, for which he would send. The drivers departed with 
their empty wagons, and Claudius remained all night at Mr. 
Ellison's. At the peep of day the wagons were again under 
the shed, filled with wheat, which was taken out. Mr. Ellison 
paid for the four loads and Claudius retired. Shortly after his 
departure, it was discovei'ed that the drivers had withdrawn 
the preceding night a short distance, then returned to the mill, 
tilled their sacks from the spout, and sold Mr. Ellison his own 
wheat. Major EduKMidston asserted the story to be true, and 
from our reading of the cunning of Claudius, we have no reason 
to doiibt it. 

About a hundred yards to the west of the Ellison House, 
still stands the first building erected in Orange county for the 
purpose of Methodism. John Ellison was an ardent follower of 
Wesley, and in 1789 organized a class which was known by 
his name. In 1790 he put np the building in question, and it 
was used for divine service until 1807, when the edifice on the 
hill to the west was constructed. 

The road which leaves the New Windsor and Vail's-o-ate turn- 



142 THE EDMONDSTON HOUSE. 

pike at the Hea(l-(iuavtf'rs, niiis in a iiui'tli-wost directinii, and 
leads ti) \Vasliing,ton Square, in Little Britian. We will follow 
it shortly. For the present we continue on towards VaiPs-g'ate, 
a small settlement, deriving- its chief importance from having" a 
station on the Newhurg'h Branch of the Erie. It takes its name 
iVoin that ol" the man who formerly controlled the toll-gate. A 
tavern stands on the south side of tiie small sipmre, tiiat is 
formed by the ci'ossing at rig'ht angles oi" a vond which leads to 
the left to Orr's Mills, and on the right to Newburgii over what 
is called the Snake-hill turn])ike. 

After passing through the toll-g"ate, we presently come upon 
an old-fashioned ston(^ building known as the Eihnoitdsion Hoane. 
Aside from its antiquity, it acquires an interi'st from having 
been the head-(|narters of (xenerals firates ami St. Clair during 
the Kevolution. 

In 172*1, -James Edmoudston having purchased a tract (jf 200 
acres, for which he paid twenty shilling's per acre, located upon 
it and buill a log cabin, whi(;h at that time was the only dwell- 
ing- between New Windsor village and Washingtonville. In 
the immediate neighborhood was an Indian settlement, and to 
the west oi' the brook along- the hill side they deposited their 
dead. The log- cabin g-ave way, in 1775, to a stone structure, 
which, with the additions subsequently made, now forms the 
residence of Mr. Henry Van ('left. It is said that the hospital 
stores and medical .staft" of the army, whose encampment we are 
about to note, were also located in the P]dmondston House. 

Dr. Thacher, whose Journal has preserved to us many an 
interesting- incident of the Kevolution, alludes under date of 
April 30, 1781, to a visit he paid the head-quarters of the medi- 
cal start" in this building-, and also to a dinner he enjoyed at the 
same place on the 15th of December, 1782. In speaking- of the 
latter he adds : " Our entertainment was ample and (degant." 
The Edmoudston House stands but a short distance from the 
point where tlie Short-cut intersects tlie old Xewl)urg-h Branch 
of the Erie. 

Let us now retrace our steps to (reneral Knox's Head-quar- 
ters, and take the road to the north-west, before alluded to. A 
drive of a little over two miles bring-s us to WaHhinqton Square, 
fornuMl bv tile convergence of iour roads, and named in honor 



I'HK FALLS HOUSE CAMP (illOUND. 



143 



n\' tiic ('(iiiiiii;ni(lci-iii-ilii('r liy the tr(>t)i)s ciicanipcd in tlic viciii- 
ily (liiiiii.i;- the yc;ir 17S-2. ll \v;is here, in liie lall of 17ST, at 

tile liduse (.f Mrs. Falls, that 
(iovenini- Clinliiii estalilisheil 
iiis liea(l-(iiiarters, at'ttM- th<' ilis- 
asti-ous caijtiin' i>l' Forts Moiit- 
li'oniery and (Mintoii, and eiidea- 
axdreil to rally liis scattered 
joree witli a view ol' i)r()t(M'tiuj4' 
the ri^'(M• front from the attacks 
iHE F.LLsHoiyiE. "f tlic Britisli fleet. At a later 

date it was selectdl by \\'ashini;ton. in eoniKM'tioii with the ad- 
jacent lands as an eli,u-il>le sit(.' for the winter ([uarters of his 
arniv. .Vll the tioops of the line were g'atliered at this ))oint 

d u r inu' 





CAMP (iBOUNP. 

north-east to the base of Snake-hill, and on the south-east as far 
down as the ])resent turnpike. The evideiKjes of their oecujia- 
tion are still in e.xistencf. 

The farms laid down on recent maps, as belonjj'iiii;" to (lil- 
bert Tompkins. .Ir.. -lames ('. (Moyd, Nathaniel Moores, William 
S. .McOill and Daniel Moores. are in particular favored. Tpon 
the farm formerly owned by SujX'rvisor 'i'ompkins, may yet be 
seen tiie walls of the Commissary's Store-house, and the rude 
llao-o-iu^- whit'h foi'med the floors of the shelterine,- huts. Here, 
also, is tol>e found the mound(Ml <'arth, devoid of head-stone — 
y(>t s|ieakin,^- in still and silent tones of the patriot dead. The 
ruthless plow has thus far spare(l this holy land. We earnesrly 



144 



THE CAMP GROUND— THE TEMPLE. 




THE TEMPLE. 



hope succeeding generations will guard the sacred spot with 
patriot care, and leave it as a monument of love and respect to 
their children's children. 

On the McGill farm stood The 
Temple, a building eighty feet 
long by forty wide, erected of 
hewn logs with a barrack roof. 
The uses for which this building 
\v3i% erected, as well as its name, 
have been the subject of consider- 
rable dispute. The Rev. Mr. (jano, 
a chaplain of the army, wrote that 
it was intended as a house " for public worship on the Lord's 
Day." It doubtless was used for that purpose along with 
others. In the military orders of the day, it was frequently 
alluded to as the " Public Building." Dr. Thacher so calls it 
in his Journal. It was also sometimes called the " New Build- 
ing," in centra-distinction to some other of which we have no 
definite record. It must have been destroyed soon after the 
Revolution. Fortunately, Major Burnett, a resident of New 
Windsor, who had frequently seen it, furnished a description 
from which a probably accurate engraving has been made. 

The name of Temple was given it on account of its stated 
occupation by American Union Lodge, F. & A. M., which 
followed the army under a traveling dispensation. 

It was here that Washington met with his officers in consid- 
eration of the famous Newburgh Letters. It was here that the 
crown, tendered by disaffected leaders, was indignantly thrust 
aside, and an instance of unselfish conduct displayed which 
will in the future, as it lias in the past, challenge the admira- 
tion of a wondering world. The historian has truly said : 
"This spot is consecrated by one of the loftiest exhibitions of 
true patriotism with which our Revolutionary history abounds." 
The Temple is also renowned as the birth-place of the 
Society of the Cincinnatti, It is not within our purpose to 
give a history of this Order. It met with a storm of opposition 
from its very inception, which, however, it managed to survive. 
The organization is kept alive at the present day, but the influ- 
ence it wields is of no weight or importance. 



STOCK FARMS. 145 



j;^« 



A VERY pleasant day may be spent in visiting- the stock 
farms of the county, tlic principal ones being- within easy reach 
of (;ornwall. Orange county has of late added to her reputation 
for milk and butter, that of being- the Nursery of fine horses. 
The hundreds of fleet animals that have proved their metal and 
speed on the turf were reared on the sweet pastures, the 
bracing- air and well-watered fields i^f old Orange. The im- 
petus in this direction was no doubt first given by the fortunate 
purchase of Mr. Rysdick, in 1849, whilst in the city of New 
York. During- the summer of that year, he bought of Charles 
Kent, a butcher, a mare in foal at the time. Nothing was 
known of her pedigree, though she was reputed to be of fine 
blood. The price paid was one hundred and twenty-five dol- 
lars. The investment was most remarkably profitable. Twen- 
ty-two years afterwards, upon his death, Mr. Rysdick left an 
estate valued at between one hundred and two hundred thous- 
and dollars, the direct result of the purchase in question. 

The foal dropped by this mare was called Hambletonian, a 
name which has become familiar throughout the whole world. 
From his loins has sprung- a numerous progeny whose ex- 
ploits may well challenge for their illustrious sire the proud 
position of being the King or Father of American trotters. 
The " old horse," as he is sometimes called, can be seen in the 
stables of his former owner, at Chester. He is now twenty- 
four years old. 

The American passion for fast horses occasioned a demand 
which the different breeding establishments in Orange county 
were intended to supply. The largest and best appointed of 
these institutions is that of Mr. Charles Bachman, near Goshen, 
better known as the Stony-ford Farm. Mr. Bachman has been 
for years a prominent merchant in the city. Naturally fond 



14(i STOCK FAilMS. 

of liorscs, ;il>i)Ut eig'lit vcurs siin'c lie pnl i)i cxcciitidii a |)laii 
lie liad loiig- culcrtaiiK'il, tor tlic dcxclopinciit of tlirir licst (jiiali- 
tics. Tlie auiplc means witli wliicli his lucrcaiitilt' success 
had (U'ovided liiiii, eiiahled him to conduct operations upon an 
enlarged scale never hclore attempted. His original ])urchase 
of land comprised hut titty-three acres, which liy sul)se([uen( 
additions is now increased to six hundred. lie hegan vvdtii lour 
l)rood-mares ; he has now over seventy. The harns, sheds and 
stables will cover between two and three acres. There are 
eighty-four box stalls, and thirty of the ordinary kind. The 
stalls ai'e built in the most substantial ami elaborate manner: 
tlu! materials being spruce, oak and iron. Eveiwthing about 
them is arranged with a view to the cond'ort of the occupants 
and the convenience of the keeper. In the arrangement oC the 
barns Mr. Bachman has shown remarkable tact. One of them. 
in particular, is a model of its kind, and well worthy of Ix'ing 
studied by those intending to l)nild sinnlar structures. We 
have no means of knowing the amount of money expeiidcMl on 
these improvements, but it must have been immense. The old- 
fashioned neighbors, as they saw lliem progress, picclicted, as 
usual, tinancial ruin to the propi-ielor. flie result, by no means, 
verified the prediction. The project has been a complete suc- 
cess. By a judicious system of breeding, Mr. Bachman has 
succeeded in raising a large number of valuable horses, for 
which he has realised fabulous prices. Some of them have 
been sold at sums ranging between ten thousand and iil'ty 
thousanil dolhirs, as currently reported. .\ full mile ti'ack is 
attached to the farm, upon which the speed ol' the colt is de- 
veloped. It is not within oiu' scope to particularize the vari- 
ous animals that are to be seen in Mr. Baclnnan's staliles. 
They are all noted for their speed and beauty. Four stallions 
of tine strain and strong lind) will attiact immediate attention. 
Their names are Abdallah Star, Bolton. Messenger Ihiroc, 
and Idol. Adjoining Stony-t'ord is the farm of .\lr. Win. 
Keetch, in whose stables will be found the cid(d)rated pjdward 
Kverett, formerly Major Wintield. now the ♦property of .Mi-. 
Robert Bonner. Edward Kverett is the sire of Judge Fuller- 
ton, Mountain Boy. -loe Elliot, and other well known horses. 
Not far trom her(>, mav be visited Mr. .lohn .Minchen, a verv 



STOCK FARMS. HT 

Micccssfnl l)rcc(lcr wlio has his stahh'S tilk'd wilh very vahia- 
l»k' lior.ses. 

Tho farms we have luciitioiHMl can l»c rciichcd hy cars if de- 
sired, via the Ki'ie Braiicli to (rdshen, and tlience on tlie Wall- 
kill Valley road to ('anipl)ell Hall. They are, however, iiut 
altout sixteen miles from (Cornwall — not too far for a pleasant 
drive. If the visitor has ailopted the latter mode, he niay, in 
retnnnng', call on Mr. Alden (joldsmith, at his farm, about a 
mile west of the little villag-e ot AVashingtonville. He will 
here have an opportunity of inspecting- Volunteer, one of the 
best sons of old Hand)letoniaii. Volunteer is the sire of (rlos- 
ter, VV. H. Allen, Huntress, Hamlet, and a host of other "good 
ones." He is of a beautiful bay, sixteen hands high, and every 
inch a horse. Mr. (ioldsmith has a number of horses on the 
turf, all of them winning name and fame for their owner. 
(.Goldsmith Maid, whose time surpassed that of the renowned 
Dexter, \vas formerly owned by Mr. fToldsmith, and was named 
after him. 

The improvements here are not as extensive noi' as costly as 
those at Stony-ford, but they are substantial and well ada]tted 
to the purpose lor which they were built. If the visit should 
be made when the horses are all at home, a large )iumber of 
famous trotters will be found in the stalls. .Mr. <ioldsmith fur- 
nishes anotiier instance of the success attending stock-l)i-eeding 
when direete(l by sound judgment and a thorough knowledge 
oi' the horse. The Walnut-grove farm, as Mi', (ioldsmith's is 
called, is about eight miles from Canterbury. 

As we pass through Salisbury on our return, a slight dcMec- 
tion from the uuiin road will lead us to the stable of Tut. 
Wood, where Billy I)ent(ui, another of Hamldetonian's well 
known sons may be seen. 

In another dii-<'ction, at Highland Mills, about nine miles 
from Canterbury, Mr. Aaron H. Taylor has a large stock farm. 
Over a hundred horses, many of high breeding, are to be found 
here. The principal stallions are Florida, son of the old horse; 
yet young' but of great promise ; and Black Harry Clay, more 
commonly known as Doty's Clay. Mr. Taylor has a track to 
the south of tlu; house for the exhibition of his horses. It is in 
plain sight of the traveler on the Short-cut cars, midway be- 



148 STOCK FAKMS. 

tweon the Junction and Highland Mills. We have already allud- 
ed, in Walks and Drives, to tlie stock farm of Major Thomas 
Morton, in New Windsor, about two miles distant from Canter- 
bury. Everything at this establishment betrays the wealth and 
good taste of its owner. The stalls are equine boudoirs — dain- 
ty resting spots for the fine strung animals that occupy them. 
The track is probably the best half mile track in the state. It 
is always kept in proper condition, and maintained for the pri- 
vate use of the Major and sxich friends as he may see fit to in- 
vite. The Major has now in his stables Micawber, a stallion 
young in years but of remarkable beauty and great speed. 

Not far from Major Morton's, a visit may be paid to the train- 
ing stables of Mr. James Hasbrouck and W. C. Trimble. Both 
these gentlemen have handled some of the best horses that have 
gone on the turf. Mr. Trimble developed the Bull Colt, as he 
was formerly called, now Judge Fullerton, on the Cornwall 
track, and it was from his hands the horse passed to tiiose of 
Mr. Humphrey, his present owner. A track will also be found 
on Mr. Hasbrouck's place. 

Returning to Cornwall, we may look in at Captain Kennedy's 
Maple-grove farm. It will be found about a quarter of a mile 
to the north of the Erie depot, but is reached by an indirect 
road, known as the Vail's-gate road The Captain has a number 
of horses on hand. The strain from which the breeding on this 
farm has been conducted is diiferent from the others we have 
mentioned. The result, however, has been highly satisfactory. 
The Captain has raised a number of colts whose record is mak- 
ing an enviable reputation for their sire. Wild Irishman, as he 
is called, was sired by Dr. Rich's Jupiter. He is sorrel in color 
with large bone and a fine open gait. A marked peculiarity is 
the length of his mane, which reaches to the ground and will 
measure seven feet in length. Captain Kennedy has recently 
built a track upon his farm, and trots between good horses may 
reasonably be expected from time to time for the amusement of 
Cornwall boarders. 

The visitor may rely upon a hearty welcome at all of the stock 
farms we have mentioned. It is a remarkable characteristic of 
the owner of good horses, that he not only likes to look at them 
himself, but he wishes others to share the pleasure with him. 



AQUATICS -WARD BROTHERS. 1 49 



'1 




Thk lover of tuiuatic sports will find ample scopt; for their 
iii(lul,i>'eiice at Cornwall. The broad and beautiful bay into 
which the river expands at this point, furnishes an unsurpassed 
field for pleasure-boatinjL^. The lake-like estuary of the Moodna, 
well-sheltered from winds and with shoal water, is perfectly free 
from danger, at all times, even to ladies and children unattended 
by a companion; whilst the more venturesome and experienced 
can spread their sails for a scud throug'h the Highlands. Sail 
and row-boats can be had, at reasonable prices, from the water- 
men. "Dan" Ward, a cousin of the famous oarsmen, always 
has a larg'e assortment of boats on hand. His establishment is 
not over five minutes' walk from VVillis-ville. To those stopping 
nearer the Landing, a more convenient resort will be the Clarks 
or " Josh" Ward's. 

Boating has grown to be a favorite recreation with the Ameri- 
can people. It certainly is one of the most healthful exercises 
one can take. Parents are generally anxious that their child- 
ren should become familiar with "the oars." To such, we may 
say, Cornwall possesses superior inducements, botli in the safety 
of tlie water and in the possession of the veteran Wai'd, who 
makes it a point to instruct such as need his services during 
the summer. Amateurs in the art are qiiite plenty and every 
season witnesses one or more regattas in the bay, wherein they 
strive in friendly contest. 

Facilities for bathing have never been properly encouraged 
at Cornwall, though the shore and water are both finely adapted 
to the purpose. Public bathing-h(mses will doubtless grow into 
fashion ere long. Until they do, we would advise the stranger 
to take a Ijoat tor the friendly seclusion off Plum Point, where 
a river-bath may lie had in safe water. 

Cornwall has attaijied a world-wide notoriety in aquatic circles 
c 10 



150 AQUATICS— WARD BROTHERS. 

liy rcasuii of its being the home of the Champion Oarsmen — 
the Ward Brothers. The personal history of the Ward faniil}^ 
is not without interest. Isaac Ward was married to Winifred 
Moshcr in the winter of 1820. P'rom this union sprung fourteen 
children, all of whom, as well as the parents, are yet living. 
We give the birth-days of the different members, as the ages 
of some of them are a matter of fre([uent iiujuiry. Isaac Ward 
Avas born on the 20th January, 1798, and is ctjusequentl}' now 
in his seventy-sixth year. His wife is but six years his jiuiior, 
having been born on the 5th of July, 1804. The children were 
born as follows: John W., Sept. 6th, 1821; Martha, April 11th, 
1823; James Oscar, Jan. Itth, 1825; William Henry, Dec. 14tli, 
1827; Caroliiie, March 28th, 1829; Charles, 1881; George, June 
6th, 1832; Benjamin S., April 4th, 1834; Maria, August 11th, 
1836; Joshua, May 11th, 1838; Sarah Eliza, Jan. 23d, 1840; 
Gilbert, October 23d, 1841; Gloraner, Dec. 20th, 1843; Ellis F., 
Sept. 13th, 1846. 

The parents resided at Middlehope, a few miles to the north 
of Newburgh, where all the children were born. From their 
earliest youth, the boys have followed the river, being engaged 
in fishing and boating. The natural effect of this daily employ- 
ment was to strengthen the sinew and develop the skill for 
which they have since become so renowned. All of the boys 
became good rowers. Josh, by reason of the number of races 
in which he has participated, is more prominently known than 
any of his brothers. In person, he hardly appears the athlete 
which his many victories prove him. He would stand full six 
feet high, if straightened up. A stoop of the shoulders and a 
slight droop of the head to one side, belittles his actual heighth. 
His capacious chest, and long, brawny arms, however, exhibit 
a most marked fitness for his peculiar vocaticjn. The weight at 
which he usually rows is one hundred and sixty pounds. The 
first public race in which he engaged was at the Newburgh 
Regatta on the 4th of July, 1857. On this oc(;asion, which was 
a double-scull race, he rowed in the Fanny Fern in company 
with his brother, William Henry, and succeeded in carrying off' 
the first prize; accomplishing the full distance of four miles in 
thirty-three minutes and thirty seconds. His first important 
single-scull victory took place on the 20th of September, 1859, 



AQUATICS -WARD BROTHERS. 151 

in Ne\vl)mgli bay, when lir dctt-iited, among' otlicrs, John llancon, 
a ('ornwall uaisinan, whotse reputation at that time was, as it has 
ever since l)ecn, deservedly higii. About three weeks hitin-, on 
'I'uesday, Octolx'r lltii, IS49, he entered the regatta off Staten 
Ishiiid, lor a purse of $100 and the cliampion's belt. His com- 
petitors were Fay, Daw, and llancon, whom he van([uished in 
the extraordinary time of" thirty-Hve minutes and ten seconds 
To allay suspicions that had arisen as to the distance, Ca[»tain 
Faunce, of the revenue-cutter Harriet Lane, carefully surveyed 
the course iind found it fully five miles. 

The champion sculler's belt, which now became the property 
ol' Ward, was nuule by Messrs. Tiffany & Co.. of Broadway, X. 
Y. H was of solid silver, thirty inches in circund'erence, three 
inches wide, and weighed twenty ounces. Upon tlu; front the 
national arms were beautifidly engraved, and along the edge 
ran a border of rope. The body of the belt had represeutaticm.s 
of both yatch and scull contests. This belt having been left 
in the charge of Mr. Benjamin Odell, of Newburgh, for safe 
keeping, was stolen and probably melted down by the thieves. 

We have not space to chronicle the various achievements of 
our champion. He engaged in numerous struggles on different 
fields and won fresh laurels at every point. His friends had 
become so confident of his ability that they now offered to match 
him against tiic celebrated Robert Chambers, of England. The 
distraction occasioned by the civil war, and the lack of interest 
in a contest of the kind contemplated, caused its abandonment. 
It is not to be expected that every struggle should be rewarded 
with victor3^ The elements necessary to success are so multi- 
form and dependent upon so many conditions, that it would 
be indeed marvelous if our champion had always escaped de- 
feat. Considering the number of races he has rowed, the few 
defeats are truly remarkable. The only ones worth mentioning 
are those on the Schuylkill and at Pittsburg, by Hamil, and on 
Lake C^uinsigamond and at Portland, by Walter Brown. To 
what extent his ignorance of these waters effected the result, 
we, of course, are unable to conjecture. These reverses, how- 
ever, were more than atoned for by the brilliant success on the 
memorable Sept. lltli, 1811. On this day, at Saratoga, in the 
International Regatta, the Ward Brothers crowned themselves 



152 AQUATICS— WARD BROTHERS. 

with glory by defeating the two picked crews of Great Britain. 
The satisfaction and pride with which this glorious victory was 
hailed thruugliout the country knew no bounds. The event is 
so recent that the particulars must be still fresh in the minds of 
our readers. Not the least remarkable feature connected with 
it, was tlie fact that four brothers could l)e found in one family 
whose combined prowess was superior to that of four picked 
representatives of a kingdom upon whose possessions the sun 
is said never to set. 

In consTiming so much space with the exploits of " Josh," we 
have, cpiite unintentionally, deprived ourself of the power to do 
justice to the claims of his brothers. The three who shared 
with him the honors of Saratoga were William Henry, Gilbert, 
and Ellis. The tirst named is more comnnmly known as " Hank," 
the Leatherstocking of American oarsmen. On the occasion 
referred to he pulled "stroke" and was at the time forty-four 
years old — an age at which few would be found equal to the 
demands of scj severe a strain. Gilbert and Ellis have rowed 
in many single-scull matches, and carried off the first prize on 
inimerous occasions, Ellis, in particular, has already earned a 
})roud position and bids fair to take the place so long and so 
ably held by his brother " Josh." 

The stranger is nati;rally anxious to see the brothers who 
have done so much to advance the reputation of American oars- 
men. His curiosity may be gratified by visiting the public 
liouse, kept by the veteran "Josh," to be seen facing the dock 
where the Powell lands. During a part of the summer, the 
brothers are more or less engaged at the different colleges 
training amateur crews for the usual regattas. One or more 
of them, however, will be found at home. The visitor will find 
them as genial in the entertainment of guests as they are pro- 
ficient in the use of the "paddles." 



HOTELS AND BOARDING-HOUSES. IfjS 



ioicl", rtiiil 1||0;iriliiig4|pttse^. 



Less than five-aiul-twoiity years ago, the bnarding'-liousos in 
Cornwall could be nunilxu'cd on the fingers. Now, they are 
counted by scores. Mr. Willis was the first to awaken atten- 
tion to the natural beauty of our Hig-hland terrace, and to point 
out to the people the advantages of their entertaining city folks 
during the summer. Under his influence and direction, each suc- 
ceeding season brought renewed numbers to the place. Those 
that came were well-treated, and returned in the fall to their 
city residences with none but pleasant impressions. The tide 
of visitors that set in, has never ebbed. Each year can boast 
a larger number than the one that preceded it. 

The acconnnodation provided for strangers is a subject upon 
which they naturally seek information. As before hinted, the 
hostelries are numerous and vary in the number of guests they 
recieive, the character of the accommodations, and the prices 
charged. None of them aspire to the dignity of being called 
" Hotel." They are content with the more modest suffix of 
" House." Of those that have accommodations for over a hund- 
red, we may mention the Glen-ridge House, the Smith House, 
the Linden-park House, the Mountain House, the Clark House, 
and the Lawrence House. The order in which they are named 
indicates their relative capacity — the Glen-ridge accommodating 
about three hundred and fifty and the Lawrence probably about 
an hundred. The Mountain House is less accessible than the 
others, but its want in this respect is more than atoned for bj' 
its secluded position and the extended view to be had from its 
broad porches. Fine views of the mountains and river are 
gained from the other houses mentioned. Situated within fif- 
teen minutes' drive of boats or cars, they are pleasantly conve- 
nient to those whose business requires them in the city from 
time to time. Stages call at the door every day to meet tlie 



154 HOTELS AND BOARDING-HOUSES. 

boats, charg-ing- the moderate price of twenty-five cents for eacli 
passeng'er. Some of the houses run their own conveyance ; 
tlie Gk^n-ridge, for instance, keeping* three or more for that 
])urpose. 

In this connection we may say a word in behalf of the livery- 
stabh' keepers and hackmen. They are quite an important 
accessory to tlie comforts and pleasures of the visitor. They 
are sufficiently numerous to make competition lively, and yet 
the stranger will note an entire absence of that pulling' and 
liutton-holing so annoying- at other pleasure resorts. Importu- 
nities for "a fare," if indulg'ed in at all, are made in a respect- 
lul manner. Their charges are invariably fair and exact. We 
havt! never lieard of a single attempt at extortion by any of our 
Cornwall hackmen— a compliment, rare indeed. Guests unpro- 
vided with their own horses and carriages, can always be sup- 
plied, at short notice, with a conveyance to take any of the 
beautiful drives alread}^ alluded to. 

The houses that accommodate less than a hundred but over 
twenty-five, tire quite numerous. The principal ones are: Jolni 
Orr's, at Mountain-ville, with a splendid valley view; Charles 
Mailler's, on the moiintain, convenient to the Mineral Spring; 
the Moodna-valley House, Wm. Orr, proprietor; J. H. Atkinson's 
House, on Willow avenue; T. Milton Wiley's new house; the 
Carswell House, — the two latter near Willis-ville; the Storm- 
king House, and the Birdsall House, at the point of Storm-king; 
the Tinner House, and the Duncan House, on the cntwn lands 
of Highland Park. All these houses are pleasantly and conve- 
niently located and well-kept. 

Next in order are the houses of more limited accommodations. 
It would be idle to speculate as to their number. The widow 
of moderate means; the mechanic or laborer with a room or 
two to s|)are; the farmer in his old-fashioned but comfortable 
JKime — all open their doors, during the season, to the city guest. 

From the classitication we have made, the stranger will be 
enabled to make a selection in accordance with his peculiar 
views. If he looks for a (piiet, retired place, he will apply to 
tlie class last mentioned; if plenty of company is desired, he 
may take up his quarters at any of the larger houses; if a happy 
mean between the two extremes is sought after, he will find it in 



HOTELS AND BOAKDING-HOUSES. 155 

llic liouscs wliosc average accommodation is about forty guests. 

'riic pric-i's cliarged at the difllerent estahlishmeuts will vary 
IVoiii seven to twenty dollars per week, — transient boarders, 
IVom two to three dollars per day. Shelter and bed being- more 
dillieult to provide than board, marked concessions are made to 
those who will accept indillerent rooms, or share their occupancy 
with another. A room which might accommodate two, if retain- 
ed by one, will be charged for at nearly the full price of two 
boarders. The ])ractice occasions much dissatisfaction at times, 
but it is hardly fair to blame the Boniface for studying, what 
every one else docs, in matters of business — his own interests. 
In return for the prices paid, the guest will receive a full equiv- 
alent. The table may l:)e lacking in gout-courting entrees, and 
dyspeptic jiastry, but it will be liberally supplied with a variety 
of viands, properly cooked. The meats and poultry will be 
found of the best, the butter fresh, the milk and cream sweet, 
the vegetables just from the earth, and the fruit new from the 
stem. It matters not whether the boarder pays seven or twenty 
dollars a week, the fare will be substantially of the kind we 
mention — the "host" making himself whole by curtailing the 
variety, and not deteriorating the quality, according to the price 
charged. There is one thing the habitue of large, fashionable 
hotels will probably miss — the exactions of servants He will 
not find a lackey at every turn, ready to brush a coat and take 
a quarter. The absence of this custom, so prevalent at large 
hotels, and thus "honored in the breach" at Cornwall, will not 
be regretted. At the same time, we may remai'k, the ways for 
" getting rid of money," at Cornwall, are quite limited. The 
incidental expenses of Niagara, Saratoga, and Long Branch, in 
the shape of douceurs to servants, opera tickets, trophy pur- 
chases, saloon outlays, and extra suppers, are happily unknown 
to Cornwall. The sources of enjoyment are of a different, more 
rational, and less expensive a kind, as we have elsewhere 
shown. 

All of the various boarding-houses command fine views — 
either of mountain, valley, or river, or of all combined. Fruit 
in abundance is common to them all. The grounds will be 
found, with but few exceptions, well-shaded. Parents will be 
glad to learn that the growing antipathy to receiving children, 



150 HOTELS AND BOARDING-HOUSES. 

finds no countonaiice at Cornwall. Some of the houses make 
tlie entertaiiinuMit of the "little ones" a specialty. The Glen- 
ri(l,a,e has HC({uiied a wide reputation in this direction. Social 
iiiiins<'iiients, such as cliarades and hops, are provided most 
every night, at some of the houses; and an interchang'e of visits 
among- the boarders at large being encourag'ed, the occasion is 
made enjoyable to all who may be inclined to attend. A con- 
cert, or lecture, or ball, is occasionally g'iven at Library Hall, 
where a select billiard-room may also be found. Whilst speak- 
ing' of the positive pleasures to be enjoyed, we must not omit 
the negative one to be experienced in the absence of mosquitoes. 

Besides the boarding-houses alluded to, there are a couple of 
hotels, open the year round. The Union at Canterbury, and the 
Sag'amore at VVillis-ville, are mainly devoted to the accommo- 
dation of transient visitors, though permanent guests are fre- 
quently taken and well-cared for. 

The stranger, whilst noting the numbers who resort to Corn- 
wall, invariably expresses surprise that no large, first-class 
hotel is to be found. The project is one that has frequently 
engaged the attention of the people, but a serious conflict of 
opinion exists as to its merits. It is contended, by many, that 
a large hotel, witli its usual appointments, would iiuiugurate 
high prices and open the door to the introduction of all tliat 
dissipation, show, dress, and expense, that would do the place 
more harm than good. Cornwall's reputation depends, to a 
large extent, upon the fact that people can spend the summer 
\ivvo, receiving the best of accommodation, at fair and reason- 
able rates. A large, fashionable hotel, it is argued, would de- 
stroy this individuality of character, for which the place has 
become so noted. On the other hand, it is claimed that the ab- 
sence of such a hotel practically exchides a very numerous 
class, whose love of luxury, independence, and ease, are the 
main inducements to a country sojourn. The question is one, 
however, that tlie future must decide. 



SOCIETY. 157 



mthig. 



The seeker after a rural home, wlietlier transient or perma- 
nent, very naturally looks to the kind of society by which he 
will be surrounded. Accustomed in the city to easy intercourse 
with cong'enial company, he reg'ards with aversion the possibility 
of this necessary privilege being* denied him in the country. — 
There is no doubt that a very considerable nund)er of those who 
return dissatisfied to the city, after a brief taste of country 
life, do so from a failure of those social amenities and friend- 
ships in which most country places are lacking. N<j just com- 
plaint, in this respect, can be made against Cornwall. The 
society is ever}^ thing that could be wished for. A brief glance 
at the character of the residents will g'ive an idea of what may 
be expected. The population, in the sparsely settled poi'tions 
of the town, consists of well-to-do farmers — in the villages, of 
thrifty trades-men, mechanics, and laborers; and on the hill- 
slopes and plateau, of retired business men, or those keeping 
up merely a summer residence. There is yet another class who 
do business in the city, but maintain their homes at Cornwall, 
where the expense of living is much lighter and their children 
can have the benefit of country air. The facility of communi- 
cation with the city is highly favorable to the latter mode of 
life. To this permanent population must be added the thous- 
ands of city folks who fill the hotels and boarding-houses be- 
tween the first of June and October. The "boarders," as they 
are locally called, represent various conditions of life. They 
come principally from New York and Brooklyn, though many 
are seen hailing from distant states. Some are affluent — others 
in moderate circumstances. All are sensible and make good 
company. Unlike tlie patrons of the Sea-shore and the Springs, 
they prefer to enjoy themselves in a rational way. Many bring- 
along with them their horses and carriages, and, during the 



158 SOCIETY. 

season, our roads are enlivened with handsome equipages. No 
attempt, liowever, at ostentation is made. The hidies arrang-e 
their toilets to suit themselves, and waste but little time or 
money in trying to out-dress their neighbor. The " boarders," 
as a class, seem to be of that substantial kind who prefer com- 
fort to fashion; keeping up, the while, an equable expenditure, 
without making the one hand (of retrenchment)" wash the other 
(of extravagance). 

The amusements gotten up for the entertainment of the 
" boarders," are by no means exclusive, in the oft'ensive sense 
of the word. The permanent residents mingle at times witli 
the guests, and share the festivities of tlie occasion. The infer- 
ence is pretty plain, tliat Cornwall is lively enough during the 
boarding season. As to the balance of the year, the permanent 
resident will tind the social attractions equally pleasant. Neigh- 
bors are conveniently near and agreeably friendly. The formali- 
ties of fashionable etiquette are rarely indulged in. Acquaint- 
ances are easy made and a reasonable intimacy courted. The 
church cf)teries, whicli the numerous churches give rise to, furn- 
ish a fruitful source of pleasant association for those inclined 
to such privileges. The different societies — Masonic, Odd P'el- 
lows. Temperance, Benevolent, and Musical — will exact, each 
in its own way, a due proportion of the time usually given to 
social enjoyments. The person of literary taste, or one inclined 
to art, may have, within calling distance, an Abbott, a Warner, 
a Roe, a Weir, a Brown, a Headley, or a Monell, — names all 
prominent in romance, history, sculpture, painting, and litera- 
ture. If the immediate locality should not furnish the society 
needed, there is Newburgh, a city of nigh twenty thousand 
people, close at hand; and, as Mr. Willis once observed, "like 
the moon and the stars, it is a much-Tised addition to 'our ex- 
tent of property,' though not charged among the taxes." In 
the suburbs of Newburgh, as well as in the City, are many 
families whose wealth and refinement are inferior to none in 
the country. 

The crowning advantage of Cornwall, however, in the matter 
of society, is its convenience to New York. City friends 
are by no means to be given up, on account of a change in 
residejice. Communication is so easy and frequent that one's 



SOCIETY. 151» 

visitiiit;" list uccmI not Ix" shortcMied in tlie least. A liroakfast at 
lionic, a chatty sail down the river, five hours in tlie city for 
calling- or sliopping-, and a return in time for seven o'clock tea, 
are all within the ('oinpass ot" less than a half-day. In the 
winter tlu; same facilities are enjoyed — only suhstitutinj;' the 
cars for the boat. One of tlie pleasantest features connected 
witli rural life is the mutual exchange of visits between city 
and country friends. Tiie practice is one that deserv^es encour- 
a>>-einent. By means of it, the sunnner pleasures of the country 
and the winter pleasures of the city, may be reciprocally enjoy- 
ed, without additional expense to either party. 

Cornwall society, of course, is constantly growing. Many of 
those who first appeared as " boarders," soon became enamored 
with the place, selected favorite sites and erected pretty cotta- 
ges for summer homes. Each year, the period of their remain- 
ing is lengthened, until finally they settle down as permanent 
residents. They become gradually but firmly wedded to the 
faith that the most enjoyable mode of life is that which has its 
home in the country. 







160 COMMERCE EARLY AND FUTURE. 




The river commerce of Cornwall has never been written. 
The insignificance into which it has dwindled at the present 
day, is no criterion of the importance it assumed during the 
early years of the present century. New Windsor has claimed 
the lionor of establishing the first landing-place to the north of 
the Highlands, for river shipment. It does not belong to her. 
It is true, prior to the Revolution, the old Ellison dock monopo- 
lized the carrying trade of tlie surrounding country, but it is 
equally true, that long anterior to this, the limited traflBc, such 
as it was, found its outlet to the south of the Moodna. This 
point we have established in another connection Our present 
purpose is with the commercial history of Cornwall of more 
recent date. 

At the beginning of the present century, the freigliting busi- 
ness was done from a dock which stood near where Mr. Gillis' 
brick-yard now does. It was reached by a road through the 
ravine which skirts Mr. Ryckman's property on the north. 
From this point Captain Daniel Tobias sailed a sloop, and kept 
a store near the landing. The name of Tobias is closely asso- 
ciated with the freighting business for a period of well nigh a 
half century. Captain Daniel S. Tobias (now in his 73d year), 
who has acted as superintendent of Mr. Salmon's warehouse for 
several years past, is the grand-son of Dr. Isaac Tobias, who 
lived on the William Halstead place near Salisbury, and died 
there in 1808. His father, whose name was Isaac S. (brother 
to Daniel), removed from the old dock in 1807, and erected the 
house now occupied by the oarsman. Josh. Ward. He con- 
structed a dock and built the sloop Hector, of favorable mem- 
ory. At this time there was no communicatif)n between the 
river and the table-land above. He built the road at his own 
expense as far as the first bridge, where it connected Avith the 



COMMERCE- EARLY AND FUTURE. 101 

present road to Willis-ville, wliicli latter road was then in 
existence. 

Captain Natlianiel Iving also sailed a sloop IVoiii the old dock, 
from which he removed and built the dock at the present land- 
ing:;, now occupied by Mead & Taft. We have already alluded 
to the dock which stood at the foot of Sloop-hill, now gone to 
decay. In 1810, Captain lleuben Reynolds came from New 
Windsor and raised the house now occupied by Charley Brown, 
and built the dock in front of it, now iised for a coal yard. 
About this time Captains Reynolds and Toltias built and launch- 
ed the sloop Handet. In 1812, Captain Tobias sold out to Isaac 
Van Duzer, and retired to a farm in the west end of the town. 

The Clark dock, the most southerly one, was built about 1821 
by Nathan Clark. Our (present) Capt. Daniel S. Tobias began 
his river life in 1821, going before the mast under the master- 
ship of Capt. Reynolds. At the same time, Capt. John Sift'erth 
sailed the sloop Exchange for Isaac Van Duzer. 

A new era in water transportation now took place, an era 
which has revolutionized the commerce of the world. In 1828, 
Capt. Isaac Van Duzer built the first steamboat for freighting 
purposes ever constructed on the river. It was cautiously 
named the Experiment, and boldly belied its name by proving a 
success. The ship-wright was Silas Corwin, yet living, a more 
than octogenarian, at the site of Washington's Head-quarters 
at New Windsor. The vessel was built at the latter place. 
Her boilers and engine were furnished by Isaiah and John 
Townsend of Albany. She was run for several years by Isaac 
Van Duzer and then sold to Weeks & Griffin. Weeks, at that 
time, kept the hotel now owned by Charley Brown. Weeks & 
Griffin, in turn, sold her to Henry Bertholf & Co., who run her 
four or five years. She next became the property of Hudson 
MacFarland, Mr. Mitchell, Dr. Morris(m, and Captain Tobias. 
The latter run her for a year, when her engine became broken. 
It was not thought advisable to repair it. She was dismantled 
of her machinery, converted into a barge and sailed as such 
from New Windsor, under the command of Capt. Dyer Brewster. 

Upon the retirement of the Experiment, the steamboat Wave 
took her place, but for a few months only. The next year the 
Union was put on and officered by Capt. Tobias. Then came 



\(\2 COMMERCE-EARLY AND FUTURE. 

the General Jackson, acting as a tow to the Newburgh and New 
Windsor barges. 

I'pon the completion of" the Erie railroad to Piennont, a fatal 
blow was struck at the freighting interests of Cornwall. This 
occurred in 1837. Up to this period, a very considerable por- 
tion of the produce of the back country for a distance of thirty 
miles had sought tide-water at Cornwall. Tlie farmer's wagons 
often formed an extended line, near the landing, awaiting their 
turn to unload. The principal articles of shipment were hay, 
straw, butter, hoop-poles ("mountain wheat," as they were call- 
ed), farm produce, hickoi'y wood, bricks, and live stock. The 
building of the railroad diverted this trade from its early chan- 
nel and turned it in another direction. From rliis time dates 
the change in the character of our freighting business, and its 
gradual decline. 

The General Jackson was followed by the Gazelle, which ran 
as far as Poughkeepsie and merely called at Cornwall. The 
Columbia succeeded the Gazelle. About 1856, Henry Clark 
bought the Orange County, and placed her on the line between 
Cornwall and the city. She was run by Capt. Jose[)h Ketcham, 
and continued her trips up to 18H4. During this period the cult- 
ure of small fruits, especially the Antwerp — for which our S(jil 
and climate are so well-adapted — had been embarked in, and 
the shipment of fruit as freight, or to be sold on commission by 
the Captain, formed a main article of the business done by the 
old Orange County. Of recent years, the large influx of summer 
visitors has tended to make a home-market for the fruit-grower. 

Since the Orange County passed away, there have been, as 
now, a number of first-class boats calling at Cornwall each day 
for freight. We have no accurate account of the business dime, 
but it must be considerable, judging from the lively competition 
which ensues each season. Its character is changed, however. 
It consists of the horses, equipages, and luggage, of summer 
residents, together with the store-purchases of our numerous 
merchants. 

Whilst regretting the decay of the commerce of Cornwall, 
th(! political economist cannot fail to remark the tendency in 
the same direction as affecting the city of New York. Similar 
causes have produced similar effects. The great city at the 



COMMERCE^EARLY AND FUTURE. 163 

niontli of the Hudson has }i,-rowii into lier i)r('S(Mit |)i-on(l distinc- 
lion by reason of the trade and coniincjrce she was able to con- 
trol. Her unparalleh'd liarl)or and numerous transportation con- 
nections, liave contributed to this result. The ;;-rain and provis- 
ions of the west have been poured into her la}!, and the white 
winj^cd niessen,i;-ers of commerce have anchored in her Avaters. 
So h>ng as she rectnved this g;eiierous tribute, all went well 
with her, and she prospered. It is now f(jund, from a compari- 
son of statistics, that a largo portion of this trade has been di- 
verted. New routes for exportation have been opened. Of 
these, a favorite one is through the Welland canal, down the 
St. Lawrence, and so on to the sea-bord. Canadian influence 
is at the bottom of this movement, and the substitution of Mon- 
treal for New York, its chief object. Anoth(!r projected route 
is, via the Kanawha and its river tributaries with Norfolk, Va., 
as an entrepot. Still another is down the Mississippi by the 
way of New Orleans. If New York is to maintain her preem- 
inence, she has got not only to retain the trade she already 
possesses, but take instant and effectual measures to recover 
what she has lost. The subject is of great importance, but of 
limited interest to the general reader. Our excuse for touching 
on it at all must be, the great importance a proper solution of 
the problem may possibly have on the future of Cornwall. We 
will endeavor to give a brief summary of the situation. Chi- 
cago, on Lake Michigan, is the huge funnel into which tlu; pro 
ducts of the west are poured. We call it a " funnel," because 
it b(!ars a strong resemblance to that domestic article in its ca- 
pacity to receive, and in its inability to discharge. The pro 
ducts come in fast, but go out slow. The}' accumulate. Freight 
rates, tardy transportation, and want of additional routes, all 
conspire to favor this accumulation. These products have here- 
t<jfore been moved by rail and water. So far as our state is 
concerned, the agents have been the Erie canal, the Central and 
the Erie railroads. On acc(^)unt (^f the low rate of speed on the 
canal, and its being closed by ice nearly five nuMiths in the 
year, its freighting capacity has become entirely inadequate to 
the demands made upon it. Two methods of increasing it have 
been suggested; widening and deepening the canal, or using 
its bed for a frciighting railroad, with a speed of ten miles an 



164 COMMERCE— EARLY AND FUTURE. 

hour. When the canal is inoperative, shippers resort to the 
raih'oads. These are in the hands of nioncjpolists, and the 
rates for freight arc put up to suit themselves, thus enhancing 
the cost of provisions to the consumer. It is plain, therefore, 
that the true relief for the present difficulty, is in rapid trans- 
portation and low freights. To accomplish this, there must be 
built and run by the general government an air-line freight 
railway from Chicago to the sea-bord. Nature has marked out 
the place where such a road should strike tide-water. We may 
remark, that trade follows certain channels with the same un- 
ering certainty as natural phenomena; and in its transit, is 
controlled by the configuration of the earth's surface and other 
physical aspects. The point is susceptible of the strongest 
proof. The histt)ry of ancient cities and traffic-highways, as 
well as that of those to-day, will convince the student interest- 
ed in the subject, that our views are not merely idle specu- 
lation. 

In building a road of the kind suggested, due regard nuist 
be had, in its location, to return traffic. For this reason, Nor- 
folk and Montreal, already hinted at as terminal points, are en- 
tirely out of the question. The road must traverse the New 
England states so as to return their manufactures, in exchange 
for the grain and provisions of the west and the oil and coal of 
Pennsylvania. It requires no figures to show that a road which 
carries both ways, is in a position to cheapen its rates one-half. 
The return of empty cars enhances very materially the cost of 
transportation. The carrying of coal is an instance in point, 
familiar to all in this section. The great manufacturing states 
of the east are Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, 
and the road we propose must be so located as to drain them. 
Let us take New Haven as a central point. Now put up a stake 
at Chicago and one at New Haven, and sight across them with 
vi(!W of placing a central stake somewhere on the Hudson. It 
will be found the air-line strikes the Hudson at Cornwall, and 
there is where the central stake must be put. It don't strike at 
Newburgh, five miles above; or at West Point, five miles below; 
but right at Cornwall, as any one can verify by placing a straigt- 
edge on a Colton's map. 

It frequently happens that a point in the air-line which we 



COMMERCE EARLY AND FUTURE. Ifi5 

wish to toiu'li witli a railroad is iiiipracticablc hy reason of 
heavy jj;Tad('s or iiit('rv('iiiii}>' iiiouiitaiiis. Such, however, is not 
th(* case with t'oniwull. It is (h'reetly tlie reverse. Nature lias 
already |)rovi(U'(l tlie road-bed. The road t'uuld not he h)eate(l 
at Xewl)iir<4-h, for the riv(!r at that |)()iiit is broad and shaUow, 
neeessitating- tlie Itreakiiit;- ot" bidk and ferria^-e. 'i'he scheme 
of a ferry siniihir to that at Ha\re de (irace, or Lachine in 
Canada, whereby a train could be run on a propeller and thus 
crossed, is subject to the objections of winter obstructions by ice. 

The passage of the river at Cornwall can be made on a bridg'e 
suspended from Storm-king" to Break-neck. The distance across 
is {greater than at Fort Montgomery, but not so g-reat as to ex- 
clude the possibility of a sus])ension bridg-e. It is the only 
point on the Hudson where the g'radf^s of the. connecting loads 
are favorabh\ The approaches on l»oth sides are alread}- ))ro- 
vided by the natural lay of the land. The bridge must l)e at 
least one hundred I'eet above the wat(n'. We believe the Brook- 
lyn bridg-e is one hundred and fifteen feet. The st)lid g-i'anite of 
Storm-king- and Break-neck form natural buttresses to which the 
bridge can be anchored. 

From these remarks it is ai)parent that the controlling- princi- 
ples in locating- the great air-line freight railway, jxiint strongly 
toward Cornwall. We occu])v a position on the straight line, 
and have the advantage possessed by no other p(jint on the 
Hudson. There is still another very important consideration 
that must not be lost sight of. Our beautiful bay ! Here a 
thousand ships can ride at anchor. The Hudson is navigable to 
this point by vessels ot" the heaviest burthen. The depth of water 
along shore, and the rock-formations, are highly favt)rable. to the 
economical construction of quays, ware-houses and elevators. 

The conclusion we draw from the premises is, that at some 
not very far distant day oin- section is to become the seat oj" a 
vast enterprise, ('ornwall bay will become a harbor, and a 
teeming industry arise upon its shores. We already see the 
gravitation of railroad interests at this point, which is in obedi- 
ence to physical laws, and if we, of this generation, would reajt 
any of the accruing- benefits, we should tender that timely assist- 
ance and encouragement which will hasten the movement. 



166 VALUE OF LAND. 



aliie of If aiitl. 



The question is frequently asked us by strangers: What is 
tlic value of land in Cornwall ? Like land elsewhere, it varies; 
depending" upon location and its adaptability to industrial, com- 
mercial or agricultural requirements. Advantages of water- 
power, convenience for business and fertility of soil, each in its 
peculiar way, helps to advance the value of the land possessing 
them respectively. There is another class of property whose 
value is entirely independent of the considerations referred to. 
Available building-sites, commanding fine views, and eligibly 
]o(;ated, bring prices that are only measured by the fancy and 
wealth of the owner. 

During the last ten years, land in Cornwall has ti'ebled in 
value. The advance has not been fictitious or hasty, but a 
slow and liealthy growth. The causes which have contributed 
to this result ar<; continuing and cannot be averted. The rea- 
son is plain. There is but one Cornwall, and her limits are cir- 
cumscril)ed. The salubrity of the air, the beauty of the scenery, 
and other natural attractions, aided by the facility of communi- 
catidii with tlie city, will continue to make Cornwall as she 
lias l>een in the past, the most popular resort on the Hudson. 
The construction of the West-shore Railroad (about which 
tliere is now no doubt), with the London moddeled train, will 
place us within an hour and a quarter of the city. Owing to 
the rugged, mountainous character of a good portion of the 
town, the value of farm land is unusually high. Good farms, 
part arable and part wood, or pasture, are worth from one hun- 
dred and fifty to four hundred dollars per acre; depending some- 
what on improvements, shade and fruit. The main reason of 
this seemingly high price of farm lands, is tlie fact that the 
farmer has a home market for his produce. The increase in 



VALUE OF LAND. ] fi7 

population, and tlic larg'c influx of straug-ers during' the suni- 
iiuT, create an army which Cornwall, under the {)resent system 
of farming', is unable to feed and supply. She is obliged to im- 
port, in large (Quantities, farm products whicli might be grown 
at her door under an improved system of farming. Cornwall 
farmers have yet to learn the effects of drainage and high farm- 
ing, to double their crops without increasing their acreage. 
Take, for instanci^ the crop of hay. The large number of liv- 
ery stable people, and the city folks with small places, who 
keep one or more horses on them during the winter, and the 
poor man who has to winter his cow — all of these are consu- 
mers, and in tlieii' greed to secure fodder for the winter, are 
willing to pay any price for hay. Good hay, for the last three 
years, has brought from twenty-live to thirty dollars per ton. 
This, of course, effects the value of the farm land. If a farmer 
can cut two to three tons of hay to the acre, as he certainly 
ought on a meadow properly laid, that acre is bringing him an 
interest of ten per cent upon a valuation of six to nine hun- 
dred dollars. 

When we look at the value of village lots, we find them sell- 
ing in (Canterbury from $900 to $1300, and at Willis-ville from 
$300 to $700. This is the ordinary city lot 25x100. The hill- 
sides where fine views are had, are held from $500 to $1000 per 
acre. Villa sites on Highland Park consisting of five or more 
acres, are offered at $750 to $1000 per acre. Dr. Ledoux, who 
lives on the Heights, holds his property at $1000 per acre, and 
has, we understand, refused to sell for less. There have been 
a few sales of land recently near Willis-ville, from which it ap- 
pears that land in that vicinity is worth from $2500 to $3000 
per acre. This may jirobably be taken as the value of all the 
table-land between Idle-wild and Storm-king, a distance of two 
miles on the river. For reasons which will be obvious to all, 
the value of Cornwall lands must continue to increase. 

We were talking about the relative merits of the east and 
west bank oi' the Hudson river, with a prominent real-estate 
broker in the city, when he exclaimed: "For residences, the 
west bank is the side. A man always wants the sun to his 
back." 

When you reflect on it, the remark is full of argument as an 



168 VALUE OF LAND. 

e^g i.s <»f' moat. Tlir banks of tlic river in wliicli wo all take 
.so innoli |>rido, iiavo boon and nmst continiio to be the sites for 
the suniinor liomes of tho wealthy from the eity. In seeking- 
tliom out, tlio beautifnl water-scape is the chit^f attraction. To 
enjoy this, the observer must be properly placed with relation 
to the sun. The point of time at which the observation is ta- 
ken, must also to be considered. Now, it is a conceded fact 
that a view of the water during- the afternoon and early even- 
ing is not im]y tho most desirable, l>ut a matter of necessity to 
that class who occupy the banks with their families for a sea- 
son, but are daily called to the city on business. If located on 
tho oast bank, what is the result? How is it with the so- 
journers at Yonkers, Tarrytown, Garrisons, and other places on 
that side of the river ? A post-prandial view of the water is 
almost an impossibility. The glare of the sun and its reflec- 
tion from the glassy surface of tho i-iver, drive the residents 
from their water-fronting porches. At a time of day when 
lazy inclination and tho beauties of nature woo the observer, 
he is forced to the seclusion of the back-stoop where tho south- 
erly winds are cut oi!", and his vision shortened by circumjacent 
trees or rising cliffs. 

Tho occupant of tho west bank is exempt from these misfor- 
tunes. The sun is to his back after dinner, and under his porch 
or fig-tree, ho can sit and dream and enjoy, under the influence 
of a molloAV and subdixed light, the surpassing beauties of the 
water-scape. A stranger would hasten to ask: Why is it then 
that tho east side is densely settled with tho villas of tho 
wealthy, whilst the west is comparatively tenantless ? There 
are two answers to the qtiestion. The physical geography of 
the west bank and its hitherto inaccessibility, have conspired 
to keep it a wild and a waste. The table-land and rolling-land 
of the east bank, aided by the opening of the Hudson River 
Railroad, attracted the numerous metropolitans who were look- 
ing for eligible locatiims for summer residences. As soon as 
the West-shore Railroad is built, land on this side will bo 
rapidly sought after and rise rapidly in value. 

Besides tho reason alioady given, there are others that will 
put land on tho west liank far above any price it has reacluid 
on the oast. Wo only mention two. One is, that tho West- 



VALUE (IF LAND. 161) 

shore road will land passeiig'ers in the hiismeftK part of" the city, 
without that delay and inconvenience which attends the g'etting 
down from the (irand Union Dejjot in 42d street. The other 
reason is, that land for villa sit«!S oji the west bank cannot he 
duplicated. There are just so many acres adapted to the pur- 
pose, and no more ca)i he made. It is this rule which has kept 
up values in New York city. There are a certain number of 
lots on the island, and not one (if them can be duplicated. — 
Now, look at the west bank of the Hudson, from .Jersey ('ity 
up to Newburg"li, and what have you ? A rough, rugged, 
mountainous, forest-clad country, with only here and there an 
opening for building purposes, like Nyack, Haverstraw, and 
Cornwall. If you exclude such portions as the Dunderberg, 
(j'ro'-nest, Storm-king, &c., you find the sites adapted for resi- 
dences limited- — very limited. 

It is for these J'easons we have strong faith in the apprecia- 
tion in value of Cornwall lands. The speculation which has 
already taken place in Palisade lands, through the opening of 
the Northern New Jersey Railroad, which runs to the rear of 
them, is an illustration in point. The Palisades are about three 
luindred feet above tide-water and tlie view from the summit 
takes in the whole of Long Island sound and the distant ocean. 
Yet these lands a few years ago (not more than ten), could be 
bought for about the value of the wood on them. They are 
now selling at from $5,000 to $8,000 per acre. The railroad 
enhanced their value just as the West-shore will d(t for land 
in Cornwall. 



1 70 GEOLOGY. 



3)e 



No SPOT east of the Rocky Mountains presents a viclier field 
for the study of the Economic- (ieohjg-ist than the town of I'orn- 
wall, and her recent oflispring-, the town of Hig-lilands. Profes- 
sor Mather, after twelve years of steady application to the 
rocks of the Highlands, uKxlestly confessed that he had but 
" begun " to develop their geology. He further remarked, that 
" a life-time miglit be well-spent, and with advantage to the 
community, from its economical results alone," in pursuing the 
proper explorations. The difficulty heretofore experienced by 
the Geologist arises from the irregularity of the formation. The 
mountains are not ranged in a continuous ridge, but broken up 
in short, abrupt hills, varying from a thousand to fifteen hund- 
red feet in heighth. Numerous faults, also, are found, whilst 
the dip of the rock is variable and the stratification uneven and 
interrupted. 

The geological structure of Cornwall may be i-eferred to the 
Primary rock and the Quaternary formation. The beds of clay, 
sand, and gravel, which are found between Newbnrgh and 
Storm-king, are quaternary deposits. Another small patch of 
the same formation is found in the Clove, between the north 
branch of Cro'-nest ^nd Storm-king; and still another, composed 
mostly of gravel overlying the boulders and coarse drift, but 
without clay beds, extending from the base of Cro'-nest by 
Washington Valley to West Point, where it forms the plain. 

The value of these Quaternary deposits is well understood. 
Th<- sand is useful for casting or moulding, sawing nuirble, 
moulding bricks, smoothing and rubbing stones used in litho- 
grapliy, blotting sand and for making mortar and glass. The 
sand taken from Sloop-hill is of a very superior quality. The 
gravel and pebble beds furnish the best of material for the 
road-maker. The clays are used for pottery and brick-making. 



GEOLOGY. 1 7 1 

Tlio color is bufl" iiml bliu', both kinds usually liciui^- I'duiKl in 
tlic SMiiM' bank. A strikint;' teaturc ol" tlic Cornwall clay beds 
is that they contain thin layers oi' sand, so that the material 
rcipiircs l)ut little nioic to be added in niakinj;" brick. Mr. Ste- 
phen (irillis is the only brick inanutacturer in Cornwall at pres- 
ent. .\bont lour millions ol' brick are ainimilly made at his 
yard. 

The business has been carried on at this jtoint for a great 
number of" years. Leonard ('lark conduct(Ml a brick-yard near 
Mr. dfillis' until the present season, when it was discontinued. 
Formerly there was a pottery at Cornwall, at which a very fair 
article of ware was nuide. 

The Primitive reg'ion of Cornwall beg'ins at Storm-king, and, 
extending along the river as far as Fort Montgomery and as far 
in the interior as the Ramapo Valley, eml)races a very enlarged 
area. The greatest part of this region is composed of granite 
and granitic gneiss. In many places it is regularly stratified, 
the line of bearing being, according to Professor Mather's ob- 
servations, on an average S. 45'' to 50® W., and N. 45"" to 50'-' 
E., and the dip to the south and east at an angle varying from 
forty-five degrees to nearly vertical. Fine exhibitions of the 
stratification and dip are noticeable on the turnpike from Can- 
terbury to the Ramapo Valley. The local variations, of which 
there are many, may be observed at different points on the West 
Point road, which crosses the mountain. 

Besides the gneiss and granite, throughout the whole region, 
sienite, augite rock, mica slate, greenstone, and hornblende 
rocks are found in abundance. The granite and granitic gneiss 
at the foot of Storm-king and Cro'-nest, have been quarried quite 
extensively. 

About the year 1830, a large mass of rock was detached, 
by the action of the frost, from the south-east side of Storm- 
king. The fallen stone was split up and used for build- 
ing, much of it being consiuned at the Delaware break-water 
and the public works at Portress Monroe. We believe some of 
it also entered into the construction of the High-bridge over the 
Harlem river. Since that time it has been used for Belgian 
paving blocks, and occasionally for cemetery purposes. It is 
easily obtained and very convenient for shipping. When ])olisli- 



172 GEOLOGY. 

ed, it lias a beautiful appearance. It is of L."()od grain, eornpact 
and indcsti uctiblc. The difficulty ut dressing" it, on account ol' 
its hardness, is the only drawback to its more general use iVn- 
building and cemetery purposi^s. The stone of which the build- 
ings at West Point are constructed is a gneiss of blueish-grey 
color and comes from the mountain about one-half of a mile In 
the north of Fort Putnam. 

Tiimestone is also found at difterent points, l^ut no advantage 
lias yet been taken of it. A very fair quality exists at the base 
(){' Ueer-hill. A specimen from this locality, we saw s<'veral 
years since, was remarkably fine. A bed of limestone is also 
to be seen on tli»^ mountain, at the north-east corner of Bog- 
meadow pond. It is of a beautiful tlesh-red, very coarsely 
chrystalline, so that large rhombic chrystals can be obtained 
by cleavage. Limestone exists at several other points on the 
mountains. 

The student will find, on these niountain-tops, geological phe- 
nomena of great interest. Boulders, erratic blocks and scratches 
on the rocks, are numerous. The boulders are formed mostly 
of granite and gneiss. Occasionally one will Ix; f(mnd of grey- 
wacke, showing unmistakably its transportation from a great 
distance by means of icebergs. There are also to be visited 
caves, formed by the sinking of the limestone into the caverns 
below. About the year 1824, while Mr. Cronkite was digging 
a pit to luny his potatoes, on his farm near Round-pond, the 
ground suddenly sunk down several feet. The fall of the i-ock 
ex]iosed a cavern extending thirty or forty feet from the pit-fall. 
The walls of the cavern were studded with most brilliant chrys- 
tals. It has since been filled up with stone to prevent accidents 
to cattle. Not far from the same locality will be fcuuid Bear- 
hole, a cavern owing its existence to similar causes. It prol>a- 
bly derives its name from having been a den for bears. It 
certainly is well-adajjted i'or a retreat for these animals. 

The Natural Bridge, aln^ady referred to, will command the 
attention of the Geologist. It will he found spanning the 
stream that flows into the south-west end of Poplopen's pond. 
The rock is the white chrystalline limestone, resting on horn- 
blende rock on one si<le and on granite on the other, though 
the rock is concealed bv the soil. It is used as a bridge, its 



(iE()L()(U'. 17:^ 

l)rea(ltl» iK^ross the strcain is tiftv I'cet, and its l('ii<;tli up and 
d(»wn the stream alxmt ciii'ldy fret. In limes ol' di'(m<;lit |)('ii|)lf 
can pass under it. 

We turn, liowrver, IVom tlies<' objiicts oi" scientiiie interest, 
and proceed to speak, in brief, as we must, of the mineral wealth 
of (Cornwall. As he rode at anchor in the Half-moon, on the 
:^Otli of September, KiOU, Master duet d<itted d<»wn in his Jour- 
nal: "The mountains look as il' some* metall or minerall were 
in them." It was in the ridinu' ofi" ('ornwall the little vessel 
lay, and upon the Cornwall mountains the observant mate was 
looking'. Traditions of lead, tin, silver, and gold mines, in the 
Hig-hlands, are (|uite prevalent. They are evidently based on 
the examinations and excavations which were mad(! hy the <'arly 
adventurers from Europe, who, thirsting for wealth and mistak- 
ing- the magnetic pyrites, which are so frequenti}' found, for 
indications of precious ore, made extended research. A single 
strongly-supposed silver mine, on the Fhillipse patent, rewarded 
their investigations, but it was subsequently abandoned. It may 
be that the precious ores exist, but there is no record of well- 
authenticated specimens. Lead mines are also supposed to 
occur. On the Kinsley farm, near the summit of the mountain, 
tuie-and-a-half miles south-west of West Point and about three- 
quarters of a mile west oi the Hudson, an old mine-hole may 
be seen from which lead is said to have been taken — not by the 
Indians, of coxirse, although the tradition so avers, but by the 
the eaily investigators to whom we have referred. Iron, how- 
ever, of the best quality and in the largest veins, is to be found 
throughout the whole Cornwall group of mountains. Cnder 
this title we include, of course, the range in the town of High- 
lands (until recently a part of Cornwall) and that of Monroe. 

Beginning at Storm-king on the river, the first mine ol' which 
we have any reliable account, is the Smith mine, which was 
opened in 1828. It is located in the clove between Storm-king 
and Cro'-nest. The ore is a native magnet, — the vein, about 
three to foiir feet thick. The working of it has long since been 
abandoned, for reasons unknown to us. On the north side of 
Storm-king, on Mr. Clark's land, and on that of Luke Wood and 
Thomas Titus (formerly), very valuable indicaticms have been 
noted. As we cimtinue westward, we find numerous localities. 



174 • aEOLOGY. 

(HI tlif ninniitains, where more or less prospecting for ore has 
been carried on. On the Broad-view ridge, at the easterly side, 
Mr. Joim S. (yilliert made considerable excavations, finding good 
ore l)ut ill limited quantity. The explorations have been con- 
ducted liy iiKlividual capitalists, and usually abandoned from a 
lack of eitlicr nerve or money. 

Among the mines which have been wrought with more or less 
success, we may mention Kronkite's mine. Round-pond, *Forest 
o' Dean, ^Cxreenwood, *Long mine, Patterson, Mountain, Antone, 
Conklin and New mine (the four latter forming a group), (Jross- 
way mine, *Sterling, *Belcher, Red mine or Spruce-swamp mine. 
Clove mine, the O'Neil mine, and the Forshee mines. Those 
marked witii an asterisk are very extended, yielding an abund- 
ance ol' rich ore, entirely or quite free from pyrites. The moun- 
tains in which they are found belong to the (Virnwall group. 

When we descend to the low land of the valleys, we find 
numerous beds of bog-ore. The most important is the one on 
the late Townsend tract, back of Cold-hill, aboiit two-and-a-half 
miles west of Canterbury. The ore is lean but makes excellent 
iron. It is mostly in powder or small fragments, mixed with 
balls of the liematite of a few pounds weight. It lies in lime- 
stone rock and between the limestone and the grit rock. Owing 
to the decompcjsition of these rocks, the ore requires washing. 
A few years since, when the bed was being worked, the rude 
ore was carted with teams to a point on the stream just west 
of Mrs. John E. Rider's house, where the cleansing process was 
conducted by means of a water-race prepared for the purpose. 
The lied is not in use at present. The detritus from this bed 
has been applied as a road dressing and found to be a most 
superior metal for that purpose. 

Mineral salts effloresce on tlie mountain rocks. They are 
numerous, and, considering their economical application, of 
great value. Sulphate of lime is (|uite conunon, but appears 
only as an alluvion. Large quantities of it, in combination with 
the oxide and red-sulphate of iron,.may be seen in the neighbor- 
hood of the Mineral Spring, and at other points where streamlets 
issue from the rocks 

Without further detail, we pass to the consideration of a 
more jiractical subject — the Alluvions of Cornwall. The whole 



GEOLOGY. 17;") 

of Oraiiii;<' coiiiity is rcinurkiihly ricli in the lacustriiM' and 
niarsli alluvions. Tlic drowncil lands itn the Walkill ulonr art^ 
• 'stiniatcd to contain scN-cntccn tiiousand acres. They arc nioic 
altninhint in tliis county than in any otiici- in tiic state, tliere 
being jn-ohably forty thousand acres. Of tliese, Cornwall has 
her share. The principal deposit is in tlie swamp to the west 
of (!old-hill, on the lands of the late Captain Cocks, and the late 
Townsend tract. A peat of fair quality is taken from this spot. 
A few years since an attempt was made to cut and prepar<' it 
for market as fuel. The scheme, however, was abandoned after 
a brief trial, owing to a lack of capital in the projectors. It has 
been used by the farmers, for a long time, as an ameliorator of 
upland soils. From our acquaintance with other deposits simi- 
larly located, we feel satisfied that the best of the peat in this 
swamp lies deeper than any yet taken from it. The surface 
material, being merely the vegetable fil»res of the partially 
decayed plants, is of an inferior quality. Doubtless, shell-marl 
in abundance, would be found at a greater depth. 

A similar formation exists on the lands of Mr. Jas. W. Smith, 
near Willis-ville. The super-incumbent peat at this localit}^ is 
but a few feet in depth. Beneath is found the very best of shell- 
marl. We examined some specimens of it, several years since, 
and found it pure enough for whiting or for making lime. The 
commercial value of this marl is superior to that of the gypsum 
imported from Nova Scotia — a fact our farmers may remember 
to their profit. Besides the alluvions referred to, there are nu- 
merous others scattered about the town in convenient situations. 

It niaj' be noted, in this connecti(jn, that in the alluvial de- 
posits, near Montgomery and at other points, the remains of the 
Mastodon have been found. A perfect skeleton of this ancient 
animal, exhumed about seven miles west of Newburgh, is pre- 
served in the museum at Boston. 

It will be seen, from the observati(ms already made, that in 
the stone-quarries, the iron and other mines, the clay and sand 
banks, the peat and marl beds, Cornwall possesses a wealth of 
resource seldom equaled. To these may be added, the valua- 
ble water-privileges, now partially economized, but capable of 
indefinite extension. 



17(5 THE BETHLEHEM CHUECH. 



THE BETHLEHEM CHURCH. 

The present edifice known by this niune, stands in the north- 
west part ol' the town of ('ornwall, and was ercH'ted in 182S. 
'file ()ri,>;iiial linilding, wliose pUit-e it took, was erected in 1730, 
ajul was raised liytheiirst Presbyterian congreg-ation org-anized 
to tlie nortli oi' the Highlands, on this side of the river, except- 
ing that (»r (roshen, which ante-dated it a few years. In tlie 
begiiniing, the pulpit was supplied quite irregularly by such 
clergymen as could be procured from time to time. The lirst 
minister of whom we have any record, was the Rev. Mr. Chalk- 
er, whose residence is said to liave been with the people pernun- 
nently. He was followed by the Rev. Enos Ayers, who officiated 
down to 1764. The next stated preacher was the Rev. Francis 
Feppard, a Scottish gentleman, during wiiose time the congre- 
g'ation at New Windsor came into existence and was united 
with that at Bethlehem. Mr. Feppard withdrew' his pastoral 
connection in 1773, and was succeeded by tl»e Rev. John Close. 
From the Clinton papers, on tile in the State Library, it appears 
that the church was divided, at this time, into four districts, viz: 
New (Cornwall, Murderer's Creek, New Windsor, and Newburgii. 
The period embraced by Mr. Close's ministrations was that 
covering the war, during a part of wliich he acted as Chaplain 
to the militia wlio were stationed in the neighborhood. He was 
burn in Creenwich, (Jonn., in 1737, graduated at Princeton in 
1763, was licensed by the Presbytery of Ducliess county in 
1765, and was ordained, as colleague of the Rev. Eben Prime, 
at Huntington, L. 1., in 1766. He removed to VVaterford in 
1796, and died there in 1813. His term of service at Bethlehem 
extended over fourteen years. The names of several Cornwall 
))eo])le, prominently identified with the churclf in 1773, are re- 
corded in the Clinton papers before referred -to. It is stated 



THE BETHLEHEM CHURCH. I 77 

that, "at a iiu'ctiuy of the (elders and several of tlic iiiciiiIk'is of 
tli<' (•oiii;T('<2;atioii of New Windsor, the 22d of Anji^ust, 1773, for 
setting' on foot a subscription for raising" a salary for the Hev. 
John Close, in order to the calling- of him as the stated teachei- 
and pastor of the united cong-reg'ations of Bethlehem and New- 
Windsor," the folloMnnf^ trustees were appointed in the New 
('ornwall district, viz: Jose]>h Wood, Rcul)en ('lark, -Joseph 
Smith, Daniel Wood, and Jeremiah Clark. 

Upon the retirement of Mr. ('lose, the Rev. Jonathan Freeman 
took his place, and he in turn was succeeded by the Rev. Joel 
'r. Benedict. The Rev. Henry Ford, the next pastor, was fol- 
lowed by the Rev. Artemus Dean, who was installed in Decem- 
ber, 1813, and remained till April, 1842. It was during- the 
pastorate of Mr. Dean that the pi-esent editice was substituted 
in place of the old one, which had stood for ninety-eig-ht years. 
The Rev. J. B. Hubbard next occupied the i)ulpit and continued 
the pastor until 1846. Mr. Hubbard was succeeded by the Rev. 
John N. Lewis, who remained until July, 1853. He was fol- 
lowed by the Kev. Dr. Robert H. Beattie, in September, 1854. 
Dr. Beattie was pastor until May, 1866. Rev. Wm. A. Holliday 
next came. He left in 1872. The present pastor, the Hev. 
David J. Atwater, officiated as a supply for some four months 
after the departure of Mr. Holliday, when a call w^as made to 
him and accepted. On the Hrst of May, 1873, he was duly 
ijistalled. 

The church edifice has recently been re-seated and consider- 
ably improved at a cost of $1300. In 1868, the trustees pur- 
chased the property adjoining- the old burial g-round, and have 
just enclosed about four acres and divided it into lots. 

It is currently believed that (xeneral Washington attended 
divine ssrvice at the old Bethlehem church, while holding- his 
head-quarters at the Ellison house in New Windsor. 

The painfully plain structure with closed l)oartl shutters, 
which is to be seen on the Depot road, shortly after leaving 
Canterbury, is the first 

qUAKKR MKETIN<; HOTSK 

erected in Cornwall. Before its const\'uction, the people ol this 
persuasion Avere in the habit of convi'iiing- foi- worship in the 
house of David Sands, (now occupied by Robert E. Ring-.) 



178 THE QUAKEE MEETING HOUSE. 

David Sands was a noted preacher of the sect, and his name 
occupies a prominent position in the early history of our town. 
In 1798, he visited England and Ireland, during the rebellion of 
the latter country, and passed unmolested from the camp of the 
royalists to that of the insurgents, boldly preaching the doctrine 
of peace. Sometime about the year 1*190, the present building 
for the use of his followers was constructed. The original 
frame remains, but the exterior now seen was put on in 1823. 

Catherine Sands, the mother of 'Squire Ring, brought the 
nails with which the building was put together, on horseback. 
These nails were of wrought iron, and came from the smithery 
at New Windsor. She was, at the time, about twelve years of 
age; six years later, at the age of eighteen, she was married 
to Elias Ring, — being the first marriage celebrated in the new 
meeting house. 

A division in the sect occurred in 1827, resulting in the forma- 
tion of a new society, called the " Hicksites." The former ad- 
lierents were denominated " Orthodox." The " Hicksites," re- 
tained possession of the old meeting house. The " Orthodox," 
ibr a brief while, held their meetings at the house of Jabez 
Green (now Mrs. Purdy's), in Canterbury. From there tiiey 
went to what is commonly known as the " Bell House," at Mon- 
tana. At that time the cotton factory of Samuel Townsend was 
in operation near by. They remained at the " Bell House " for 
several months, and then removed to the brick building adjoin- 
ing the Union Hotel, in Canterbury. The necessity for a new 
iiouse of wcjrship occasioned the l)uilding, in 1828 or 1829, of the 
present brick meeting house, in the rear of John Chatfield's liv- 
ery stables. A remarkable coincidence took place soon after 
the completion of the new house. In 1881, 'Squire Ring was 
the first one married in it, as his mother had been the first one 
married in the old house. Attached, is the private burial ground 
of the Ring- and Sands families. The remains of David Sands 
are now deposited here, having been removed from the small 
and early burial site in the rear t>f Mr. John Hancon's. There 
is also a cemetery annexed to the old meeting house. The 
grounds (of which there are several acres) were deeded in 1789. 
by Langford Thorn to Joseph Thorn, Nicholas Townsend and 
William Titus, in trust for the Cornwall Monthly Meeting. 



METHODIST CHURCHES. 179 

Tlicrc are (luite h uuinbor of Fiiciids in imr midst, to wliicli 
tlioir periodical ^•atlierings contribute largely. Both nieetiiiLi: 
houses are open for worship Thursdays and Sundays. 

THE CANTF.RBrKY METHODIST CHrRCH. 

Many of our oldest residents will reineniher the school-house 
which formerly stood near the new Library buildin^u;. In this 
school-house the early Methodists of our town were wont to 
<z;ather and worship in their accustomed way. They were few 
in number, but earnest in faith. They continued their meeting-s 
in this btiilding; nntil increasing- numbers and growing wealth 
sanctioned the building of the present edifice, which was erect- 
ed in 1830. The location of the church is on a pretty knoll at 
the northern entrance to the village. The grounds are decorated 
with evergreens, which, with the prettiness of the site, go far 
to relieve the rigid plainness of the structure. In August, 1862, 
the belfry was annexed, and the building modernized by eidarg- 
ing the windows and making other necessary changes. 

A neat parsonage villa stands to the north of the church. — 
The Kev. Phinneas Kice was the first {)astor, and at that time 
it was connected with, or formed part of the New Windsor 
circuit, wliich embraced the churches at Vail's-gate, Salisbury, 
Little Britain, and Angola (now Mountain-ville). 

In 1863, Cornwall and Angola were detached from the old 
circuit and became self-supporting. The Rev. J. H. (iregory 
was appointed pastt)r at this time, and i>rticiated his full term 
of three years. He was followed by the Kev. Uriah Messiter, 
who remained for a similar length of time. The Rev. I). D. 
Gillespie succeeded Mr. Messiter, and he in turn was followed 
by the present incumbent, the Rev. B. N. Lewis. 

The church has now a very large and influential attendance. 
The Sunday-school attached is in vigorous liealth, and the finan- 
cial condition all that could be desired. 

THK HIGHLAND-VILLE METHODIST CHURCH. 

This church stands on the elevated ridge, near Highland-villc, 
in the south-west part of the town, about four miles from CUin- 
terbury. It l»elongs to the (Cornwall circuit, and is presided 
over by the Rev. B. \. Lewis, who alternates his ministra- 
tions between it and the Canterbury church. The original 
structure at this point is still seen on the right of the road, it 



ISO THE NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH. 

WHS elected in 1844, tliroup,-li tlie I'litiie benevolence of Mr. 
Henry Wisiier. Tlie land was donated liy Mr. Jacol) Van Du- 
zer. In 18()H-1, about an acre of ^'round, occupyinii;' a more 
coininanding' position, was secured, and the present i)uilding 
was erected at a cost of five thousand dollars. It was dedi- 
cated March 20th, 1861. The Kev. Mr. Messiter was the pas- 
tor in charg'c at the time, and to his untirinjj;' zeal, the people 
are indel)ted for their new house of worship. The church is 
happily free from debt. The present trustees are John D. 
Hulse, Eleazer T. Barton, Nelson H. Barton, S. Quackeid»ush 
and J. T. Taylor. Mr. E. T. Barton is the treasurer, and J. E. 
Benjamin the clerk. 

THK NEW CATHOMC CHURCH 

occui)ies a commanding' knoll on the main drive between Can- 
terbury and Willis-ville. The church, as well as the rectory 
adjoining-, were designed by the New York architect, Mr. N L. 
Brun. Its architectural symmetry cannot yet be fairly criti- 
cized, owing to its nnfinished state. The Catholics of Cornwall 
are indebted to the energy and indefatig'able labors of the Rev- 
erend Father Keogh, the pastor now in charge of the parish, 
Jor this eidarged and beautiful structure. Our people will re- 
nuMuber the wan and sickly face of Father Keogh when he tirst 
came among us in the spring n[' 18T0. We, ourself, are pain- 
fully conscious of onr feelings upon first seeing him. The 
thought was thrust upon us that his lease of life was for a 
very limited time. As he writes us in a recent letter: " I was 
not ex|)ected to live; but as the pure air of this lovely spot 
agreed with me, my liealth and strength were gradually re- 
stored." In the fall of that year he was appointed to the Corn- 
wall Mission by his Grace the Arch-bishop of New York. Ser- 
vice at this time was held in a small brick church, opposite the 
entrance to Mr. Rycknian's propeity, which was Iniilt about 
the year I8ti0, under the direction of the Rev. Edward J. 
O'Reilly, now [)astor of St. Mary's, New York. Father Keogh 
resolved at once uj)on a more commodious edifice. Notwith- 
standing the precarious state of his health, he set to work with 
an earnestness which knew no bounds. His enthusiasm was 
im{)arted to his parishioners, and even extended to the people 
of other d«!nominations, who gave their voluntary assistance 



CANTEKBUKY PlIESBYTEKIAN CHURCH. 181 

ill iii;ikiii^' tli<' necessary excavation This work wsi.s aecoiii- 
plislied jiTaluitdUsIy (lurinjj; the winter nt" 1H70 1; and ii{miii 
the npeniii;;' iif" sprinj^', the euriier-stoiie was hiid Ity the liishop 
(if Ivoeliestcr, the lit. Kev. Dr. Meliiiade, assisted hy several 
proinineiit priests from New York and elsewhere, in the presenee 
III" a larj;"e eoiieonrs*' of citizens and delei;'ations rnmi nei^'hlior- 
ini;- towns. The Imildinj;- materials had been drawn to the 
j^round in advance, and the work proi^-nissed with such lapidity 
that lioth church and rectory were enclosed hefore fall. In the 
spring- of "12 the old church and |iropcrty were disposed of, and 
ill the month of .June the altar was moved to the chapel already 
prepared in the basement of the new church, and divine service 
celebrated. This chapel, which will be used until the comple- 
tion of the I'hurch proper, is 100x50. 

The church and rectory have thus far cost $30,000, which has 
iieeii all paid excepting a debt of $13,000. \n additional 
$10,000 will be iK'eded to finish the altar. The new church 
was luiilt none too soon and none too large. There are more 
than a thousand souls in the parish at the present time. The 
average attendance at the Sunday School each Sunday, at 3 F. 
M., is 150 scholars. Father Keogh gives his personal attention 
to this department of his pastoral duties. It is in contein|»la- 
tion to open, during the coming fall, a jtarocliial school, under 
the tutelage and instruction of lady teachers of approved com- 
petency. In this connection we may also notice the proposed 
establishment of a ladies' seminary. Father Keogh has already 
secured six acres of the crown lands facing the church on the 
south, and iiiton them an educational institute is now being- 
erected. .V thorough and comprehensive tsystem of instruction 
in English, French, Italian, Music, etc., will be dispensed to 
young ladies, irrespective of their religious belief. 

THE CAXTERBL'RY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

This church stands on Clinton street, in the village of Can- 
terliury. It is a plain, unassuming stnictiu-e, built of stone 
with a coat of stucco. It was erected in 1827. It was re- 
l»aired in 1841, and again in I8fi0, when a tower and a new 
front of lirick were added at an (expense of two thousand dol- 
lars. The rear of the lot on wliicli the church stands is used 
as a burying ground. The church was organized July 1st, 

C 12 



182 CORNWALL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

1827, by the Kev. James H. Thomas, of members behmg-iiig- to 
other rhurches living' in the vicinity, who presented tlieir letters 
of dismissal from their respective churches for this purpose. 
On the 12th of February, 1828, the Kev. James H. Thomas was 
installed at Canterbury, pastor of New Windsor and Canter- 
l)ury, by the Presbytery of North River. This relation was 
dissolved l)y the Presbytery of Wapping-er's Creek, on the 29th 
of April, 1834. The Rev. John B. Fish was employed to sup- 
ply the i)ulpit from May 1st, 1834, till August 1st, 1835. In 
the fall of the latter year, the Rev. .Tonathan Silliman was duly 
installed pastor by the Presbytery of North Riv(n-, and for a 
period of twenty-six years sustained that position. On the 
third Sal)bath in July, 1861, he formally tendered his resigna- 
tion, which was acted upon and accepted by the Presbytery at 
their meeting in the following September. Mr. Sillirnan, how- 
ever, continued to supply the pulpit until April, 1862, when 
Alvah Baker, a licentiate, of the third Presbytery of New 
York, was employed as stated supply, to the 1st of April, 1864. 
Clarence Eddy, a licentiate from Princeton Seminary, was next 
called as pastor. He was ordained and installed by Presby- 
tery at their spring meeting' in 1865, and ct)ntinued to act until 
relieved, January 15th, 1869. He was followed on October 1st, 
1869, by the Rev. William E. Clarke, who was the stated sup- 
ply till April 1, 1872. The pulpit at jjresent is tilled by the 
Rev. Lyman Abbott. 

When the church was organized, in 1827, Peter Roe and 
Daniel Ci'iiver were chosen Elders. Since that time, the fol- 
lowing persons have been elected and acted as Elders: Dr. A. 
Clinton, Caleb C. Colwell, Wm. Y. Dusinberre, James 0. Adams, 
Wm. Hunt, Yictor M. Purdy, Britain M. Barrett, and James J. 
Baldwin. There have been 356 names enrolled as members of 
the church. Many of these have died, but more have been dis- 
missed to unite with other churches. A Sabbath School has been 
maintained ovvv since the organization of the church. Formerly 
the attendance; was large, but since the establishment of similar 
s<'h()ols by other churches in the neighborhood, it has fallen off, 
l)ut is yet continued with encouraging' results. 

THE CORXWAI,L PRKSBYTERIAN CHURCH. 

Previous to 1855, there was no church or organized religious 



COllNWALL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 183 

society in tliat part of tlic town lyiiiji," Ix'twccn Ciiiitcrlmry and 
i\\c river. Some time during- that year, the enterprise was coni- 
meneed whii'h r(>snlted, a tew months later, in the erection of a 
cliurch. Meetings were iiehl, meantime, in the scliool-room of 
Mr. A. C. Roe, now the property of Mr. (feor<i,(' H. Carsweli. 

A l)uildini'' capable of seating' three hundred persons was, 
after great effort and sacrifice, comj)h'ted, and on tlie otli of 
Marcii, 185<), dedicated to the Trinne (Jod l»y a committee from 
tlie Presbytery of North Hiver. The same committee, on the 
Ifitli of March, lH5«i, orgainzed the cliurch. It embraced l>ut 
seventeen members, of whom only five were males. Peter Hoe, 
Thomas M. Wiley, and James (i. Roe, were chosen Elders; and 
soon after, 'Scpiire James U. Adams was added to the nnndier. 
The church has been in existence, therefore, about seventeen 
years. Dui'ing this period, it has had three settled pastors and 
one stated supply. The Rev. 0. P. A. Deyo was the stated sup- 
j)ly for one year, from April, 1856, to April, 1857. During the 
following year, the pulpit was filled by various clergymen, who 
were engaged from week to week. The Rev. Louis P. Ledoux, 
I). T)., was the first settled pastor. He began his labors in 
April, 1858, was installed in l.s5l), and continued in office tintil 
.September 20tli, 1865, when, at his own request, the relation 
was dissolved. The next pastor was the Rev. Jose[)h H. Rol)- 
inson, who entered upon his work December 1st, 1865, and con- 
tinued until his death, in March, 1868. The Rev. John W. Teal 
was called June 1st, 1868 ; i»egan his ministrations at that 
time; was ordained and installed September ITth, of the same 
year, and continues to be the pastor of the church. 

During the seventeen years of its existence, there have been 
received into the church 288 persons; 114 on profession of 
their faith, and 74 by letter, making the wholen umber at some- 
time connected with the t-hurch, 305. Of these, 130 have united 
within the last four years. The present membership is about 
190. The Sunday School (Comprises about 25 teachers, and 
more than 200 scholars. In 1869, the churcii l>uilding was en- 
larged, and now acconnuodates nearly twice as many as the 
(•riginal structure. A parsonage costing $6,000 was purchased 
two years ago. 



1^4 THE BAPTIST CHUKCH. 

THE BAPTIST CHURCH. 

Ill the year 1820, seven Baptist families emigrated from near 
Leeds, in Yorkshire, England, and settled in Cornwall, where, 
ill 1823, they organized into a church under the name of the 
Zion Baptist Chvrrh of CormraU, and erected the stone build- 
ing now to be seen on the depot road not far from Townsend's 
bridge. The land was donated liy Wm. H. Townsend. All the 
constituent members are buried in the cemetery attached to the 
churcli. The marble shaft, noticed from the road, marks the 
resting place of Samuel Brooks, who died on the 28tli of No- 
veml)er, 1865, aged 88 years 23 days. The inscription tells us 
that he was "a constant member of the Baptist church of (Corn- 
wall and he held the office of deacon from its organization till 
his death." Another slab is erected to the memory of Benjaniin 
Wright, who died on the 14th of January, 1867, aged 79 years, 
1 uKmth and 2 days. Still another to David McLuckey, who 
died at the advanced age of 80 years. The Rev. Mr. Pearce 
had cliarge of the early Hock and upon his death his remains 
were deposited at his special request beneath the pulpit of the 
church. He was followed by the Rev. C. Mayer. Divine ser- 
vice was held in the old church up to 1860, a period of forty 
years, when the new brick edifice in Canterbury was erected at 
a cost of a little over $4,000. There have been twenty-one pas- 
tors and supplies since the organization of the church and their 
names are as follows: Rev. Messrs. Pearce, C. Maze, D. T. 
Hill, A. (i. Sangster, J. Wellslager, J. W. Jones, G. Webster, 
C. A. Raymond, G. S. Bailey, Wilkins, James Scott, Parsons, 
Palmer, F. N. Barlow, J. H. Castle, Dr. Westcott, E. P. Weed, 
B. F. Bowen, Palmer, Walter Scott and James Goodman, the 
present incumbent. The present membership is 63 and includes 
the descendants of the early settlers to whom reference has 
been made. 

ST. .IOHN's CHl'RCH (l\ E.) CANTERBURY. 

At a meeting duly convened Jhly 17, 1858, for taking the 
necessary steps for the incorporation of a jiarish, the following 
officers were chosen to serve until Tuesda}"^ in Easter week, 
thence next ensuing, viz: Wardens — Alonzo A. Alvord, Wm. 
IT. Bayard. Vestrymen — Thomas P. Cummings, Nathaniel P. 
Willis, Daniel C. Birdsall, James W. Crissey, Nicholas Chat- 



ST. JOHN'S (P. E.) CHTTRCH. ]H:^ 

field, Jr., Francis A. Barton, Charles H. .Nfcud, John Chatficld. 

Oil the 31st (lay of the same month the Rev. (!hristo])her 11 
W^'att, who had been oltii-iatiiiij,' for the c.oiig'reg'ation some time 
previously, was chosen to be rector of the new parish. .\t the 
same meeting a committee was appointed to secure a site iur 
the erection of a church edifice. In November followinjj,- the lot 
upon which the church stands was purchased, and nujasures 
forthwith adopted for raising- the nec(^ssary funds for building. 
The plans sulnnitted by Mr. J. VV. Priest, the architect, were 
adoi)ted. The corner-stone was laid .Nfay 10th, 1859, by the 
Right Rev. Dr. Potter, and a contract was subsequently made 
with Messrs. Shaw & Sons, of Newburgh for the erection of the 
building, with the exception of the tower and spire. Before the 
edifice was begun, the talented young architect who designed 
it, had already ceased from his labors on earth. The west win- 
dow of the church was contributed by admiring friends as a 
memorial of him. The building was first used for the celebra- 
tion of divine service on Sunday, November 20th, 1859. It is a 
very chaste example of the early English style, substantially 
built of brick with stone trimmings, strictly correct both in 
proporti«m and details and capable of being rendered truly 
beautiful by a judicious and not costly employment of color 
decoration. 

The melodeon used in tlie church was tlie gift of Mr. and 
Mrs. N. P. Willis. The font, service books, communion ves- 
sels, etc., were also the gifts of different individuals. In the 
spring of 1862, the Rev. Mr. Wyatt resigncnl the pastorship of 
the parish and was succeeded by the Rev. Edward H. Crissej', 
I). D. The same year a legacy of $2,000 (the interest from 
which is forever to be appropriated to the rector of the parish) 
was received from the executors of the late Abraham B. Sands. 

At Easter, 1863, the Rev. Dr. Crissey terminated his rector- 
ship and was followed in July by the Rev. George Seabury. 
Hitlierto the parish had been associated, so far as being served 
by the same clergyman was concerned, with that of St. Thomas', 
New Windsor. It was now resolved to place it upon a sepa- 
rate and independent footing. 

The Rev. Mr. Seabury's connection with the ]>arisli was dis- 
solved May 1, 1864. He was succeeded in November following 



ISf) ST. JOHN'S (P. E.) CHUKCH. 

by tlic Kev. Jolm Q. Webster, who remained only until the fol- 
lowing antuinu; and was succeeded, January 21, 1866, by the 
Ivcv. Will. a. French. 

In July, 1869, some funds having accumulated through the 
urgent efiorts of Mr. Frencli, it was resolved to proceed witli 
the (Mjiiipletion of the edifice by erecting the tower and spire; 
and l)oth were finisVied the following suunner. In June, 1871, 
the Rev. Mr. French resigned the rectorsliip. In February fol- 
h)\viiig, the present etlicient and |)opuhir incumbent, tlie Kev. 
I)a\id II. Macnrdy, to wliom we are indebted for tlie facts 
herein stated, was called to the nnttorship, and, on Easter day, 
began his iiiiiiistratioiis. 

During the past year (1872) the debt upon the church edifice 
($3,613.17) has been entirely li(piidated. 01' this amount two 
thousand dollars were generously contributed by the Senior 
Warden, Thomas P. Cummings, Esq., of New York, whose act- 
ive int(U'est, early and late, entitles him to the fervent thanks 
of the connnunity. 

The church was largely intended for the accommodation of 
our suimner visitors and such are always welcomed to it. TIh^ 
seats are all free. The resident parishioners are few in num- 
ber and but moderately blessed with "worldly goods" — facts 
that n\iiy be remembered by our city visitors in their Sunday' 
i-oiitribntioiis. The hours of service are 11, A. M. and 4, P. M. 
Tlie Sunday St-liool (from May 1st to November 1st) opens at 10, 
A. M.; during the remainder of the year at 3, P. M. 




LIBRARY HALL. 1S7 






LIBRARY HALL. 

Tills Imildiii/j,- was oroctod in 1870, under tlic auspices of the 
Cornwall Library Building- ('ompaiiy. It occupies an elig^ible 
location, beino- on the north side of the sipiare formed by the 
continence of fom- roads, 'fhe structnn.' is substantially built- 
and faced on all si<les MMth the best (luality of pressed brick. 
In size it is 80x45. The height frt»m the ground to the eaves is 
iifty feet. A cellar extends under the entire building. The 
first floor is divided into stores, all of which are rented. The 
second tioor is occupied by the library and reading rooms, 
billiard saloon, and offices. The third or upper floor is devoted 
to the Hall. It is 18x43 with a gallery at one end and a stage 
at the other. Beneath the gallery are the gentlemen's and 
ladies' waiting rooms. The ceiling is twenty-one feet high. 
The room will seat four hundred persons. The acoustic proper- 
ties of the Hall are excellent. Concerts, light entertainments, 
and lectures are given from time to time during the season, and 
occasionally the well-laid floor yields to the feet of terpsi- 
chorean devotees. The entire cost of the building and land 
was $28,000. An additional $2,000 was expended in procuring 
heater, fixtures and settees for the Hall. The billiard saloon is 
under the superintendence of Mr. E. Gillis and is conducted in 
such a manner that ladies are in the habit of frequenting it. 
The library has now some 1,800 well-selected volumes on its 
shelves. It owes its origin to a stock company and is managed 
by a board of trustees. Miss Mary Clark is at present the 
librarian. The reading room is supplied with the principal 
daily and weekly papers, both local and foreign. The promi- 
nent magazines, periodicals and other serial publications are 
also to be found on the tables. It is open daily, except holi- 



]SS FIRE DEPARTMENT. 

(lays and Sniulays, betwoon 3 and 10, P. M. There are at pres- 
ent about one hnndrod subscribers at $2 00 per year, wlios*^ 
(•(intriltutidiis, witli the (iccasiunal assistance oi" a public benefit, 
pay expenses and furnish the means of gradually increasin,^- 
the nundier of volumes. Transient visitors ai-e permitted to 
avail themselves of the privileges of tlie liln-ary upon favor- 
abh^ terms, which may be learned on a])plication to the libra- 
rian iti charge 

In this building will also be I'ound the Cornwall Sariiu/s 
Hank', an institution of recent d:tte, whicli ali-eady enjoys a very 
consichM'able patronage. 

FIRK DEPARTMENT. 

By an Act of tlie Legislature, passed 20th April, 1S30, " \a- 
• than Westcott, Elias Hand, W. T. Cock, (4eorge Marriott, John 
M. (biugh and such otliers as shall associate with them and 
shall pay two dollars and hfty cents, for procuring not more 
than two engines, and other implements necessary for ex- 
tinguishing fires," were created a body corpf)rate under the 
name of the Canterbury Fire Company. On the 10th of May 
following, a meeting of the inhabitants was held at the house 
of B. Colter for the purpose of organizing a company. Oliver 
Cromwell was appointed Chairman and John M. tiough, Secre- 
tary. A certified copy of the Act above referred to was ]n-o- 
dnced and read, whereupon quite a number appeared and be- 
came members by, pa^nng the necessary fee. Among the more 
prominent names, we find Elias Hand, John Edwin Chadeayne, 
W. T. Cock, Justus Sackett, Noah Townsend, Lewis Barrett, 
Heiuy Titus, Thos. F. Fish, Samuel G. Purdy, Daniel Chadeayne, 
Samuel Townsend, Benjamin Atkinson, Charles K. Southerland, 
and Fowler Griggs. At the next nu'eting the following w<'ek, 
by-laws were established and a conunittee appointed to sei'ure 
hooks and huhhn-s. A small liand-engine was bought at an ex- 
IxMise of about one hundred and twenty-five dollars. H was 
carried by four n»en by means of handles, which soon, however, 
gave place to wheels. This ru<le engine is still in occasional 
use and can be seen at the house of the company. Hfioks and 
ladders wen^ made from sa])lings cut on the mountains, and 
ironed by Hewitt & Torrey at their tri})-hammer shop on Idle- 
wild l)rook, near the present site of Mr. Xicholas Cock's factory. 



FIRE DEPARTMENT. 1S«) 

The iiK'iiiis of tlic coiiipaiiy wei'o qnito limited, as iiiiiy Itc in- 
rcncd IVdiii tlic aiiKiiiiit ('X])('ii(lod in 0(|iii])])iii,<'' it. 'i'lic indi- 
vidual iiinidxTs wore f"r(>(|iu'ntly callod upon to supply dcliricii- 
cics. I'lidcr date of .Taimaiy ^tli, 1S81, it appears that scncral 
iiiendxTs loaned tlie eoiii|)any one" dollar each, which, in the 
words of the Secretary, was "to l)ear leiifal interest until paid." 
dune 7tli, 1S81, a coniniittee was ai)|)ointed to solicit donations 
for Iniildint;- an en<>-ine honse. They se(Mii to Inive Jiiet with 
poor snccess, toi- the record of Septonihev 5th, 1832 (lifleeen 
months afterwards), states that they were discharj;'ed ujion re- 
porting!,' "no pro_i>'ress," and a new committee snlistitnte<l in 
theii- ])lace. The new committee sncce<'ded in raisini>- the 
means and a small frani<» hnildinjj' was erected and snbsecpient- 
ly removed to the lot now owned by V. C. Kihlmire. This 
hnildint*" was sold to John ^falloy, upon the company's secnrini;' 
tlx'ir jn-esent (piarters, and by him removed to Hoe-ville, wlwre 
it is now litted up ibr a dwelling". 

The first dnty performed by the company was at the burning" 
of Samuel Townsend's barn, which had b(H'n set on lire by a 
uegTo, who was subsequently sent to State's Prison for tAventy 
years for horse stealing'. 

About 1836 or 1831, a second-hand suction engine was bought 
in New York, for which about $500 was paid. Thiseng-ine was 
broken up for the iron when the one now in use was purchased. 
In the early part of 1869, the present engine was secured and 
christened, Highland Engine, No. 1. The first public parade 
occurred on the 4th of July, 1869, Avhen two of the company 
were hurt, but not seriously, by being run over, in the haste of 
answering an alarm of tire. 

On the evening of the 19th of October, 1869, a meeting of 
property owners and others interested in the purchase of a 
proper site for a new house, took place at the rooms of Val. 
Schardt, in Canterbury. A committee was appointed who sub- 
se(piently reported in favor of buying the lot and building 
at that time occupied b}^ Hunter & McLean for a meat market. 
The re])ort was adopted and the premises purchased for $2,000; 
one half th(^ sum being made up by vohmtary subscriptions. 
Th(» building had to be altered, incurring considerable addition- 
al expense. It is now well-adapted t«» the |iurposes of the 



190 FIRE DEPAETMENT. 

company. The use of the ground floor for election purposes 
and the room over-head for public meetings, yield a revenue 
wliich, with occasional assistance from fairs and balls, keeps 
the finances of tiie company in a satisfactory condition. 

Tiider tlie charter creating- tlie company, the number of fire- 
men is limited to twenty for each engine, and ten for the hook 
and bidder company, but tbe aggregate membership far ex- 
ceeds the limitation. The afi airs of the company are managed 
by a l»oard of trustees — five in number — elected annually. 
Tlie present Foreman is Samuel Young, Jr., and the Assistant 
Foreman, John Young, his brother. 

Tlie rapid growth of Willis-ville, gave rise, in- 1868, to a 
movement for tlie formation of an additional company whose 
apparatus would be located in that vicinity. During that j^ear 
a committee of active young men undertook to raise the neces- 
sary funds. Their efforts were rewarded with such success 
that a company was soon formed and the following officers 
elected: William J. Quigley, Foreman, John K. Oliver, Assist- 
ant, and John McLean, Jr., Secretary. The application for a 
charter during tbe legislative session of 1868-69, resulted un- 
favorably, owing to Ttov. HoflYnan's oppositicm to special legis- 
lation. Fpon being renewed, however, the following year, 
tlie applicants were more fortunate. An Act was passed 
March 30th, 1810, constituting E. A. Matthieson, Stephen C, 
(lillis, Hamilton H. Salmon, David Clark, James K. Hitchcock 
and Elbert H. Champlin a body corporate under tlie name of 
Storm-Icing Fire Engine Company, No, 2. 

With the money already raised, a fine engine liad been 
bought, but the (Company had no place to store it. In this ex- 
tremity, appeals for contributions were made to the citizens, ac- 
CAjmpanied by balls and ccmcerts given in aid of the enterprise. 
A lot was soon secured on Park avenue, not far from its inter- 
section with Hudscm street, and the present two-story frame 
building erected - 

The first fire at which the services of the company were 
brought into requisition occurred in the now-called Sagamore 
House, then occupied by Charles M. Brown. The alarm was 
given at midnight, and the whole of the first floor in flames 
upon the arrival of the firemen, ^^r. Brown, aroused from, his 



MASONIC. I'.l] 

slumlxTs, was ohlifi'tMl to cflrct his escapo l)y moans of an nppcr 
window. Tiic rapidity witli wliii'li tlu; fire was extina'uislicd, put 
tlic conipaiiy at oiu;o upon a favorable footing- with the poople. 

The niunbcr of nif'nd)ers on the roll now aggregates thirty- 
live, .lohn K. Oliver is th(^ present Foreman; George jjandi, 
1st Assistant; ('liaries iJay, 2(1 .\ssistant; John (Joucey, Secre- 
tary; Titus M. Wiley, Assistant Secretary; and William 11. 
Clark, Treasurer. The Trustees ioi- the current year are (icorge 
A. Pric(% Charles 11. .1. Smith, Wm. J. Quigley, John McLean, 
Jr., and David (-lark. 

The company have a verj' beautiful hose carriage, built by 
James Keid, of (Janterbury, upon which is reeled two hundicd 
and fifty feet of hose. Tiu^ meeting room of the engine house 
is neatly furnished. The value of the company's property is 
$2,200, on which there yet renuiins a debt of $(iOO. 

MASONIC. 

In the year 1815, a number of Masons, resident in Cornwall, 
assembled together in Canterbury and took the preliminary steps 
for the organization of a Lodge at this place. Upon petition to 
the fxrand Lodge of the State a warrant was issued, under date 
the 9th of Septend»er, 1815, authorizing the erection of a Lodge 
in Cornwall, under tlie name of Jeriimlem Temple Lodge, No. 247, 
and appointing Wyatt Carr as Master, Abraham Mead, Senior 
Warden, and Southerland Moore, Junior Warden. The war- 
rant directed W. M., James B. Reynolds, of Hiram Lodge, New- 
burgh, to install the new Lodge. Accordingly, in the words of 
the record now before us, "the said James B.Reynolds met 
the said Lodge, in the house of Ebenezer Crissey, on the fifth 
day of October, 1815, and then and there installed the Lodge 
agreeable to the customs thereof. The Lodge then adjourned to 
the liouse of Brother Hugh Gregg and partook of a dinner pre- 
pared by him." On the 23d of December following, an election 
for officers took place, resulting as follows: Wyatt Carr, W. 
M.; Abraham Mead, S. W.; Southerland Moore, J. AV.; Na- 
thaniel Clark, Tr(>asurer; Samuel H. Purdy, Secretary; Wil- 
liam Williams, S. D.; Stephen Coleman, J. D.; Obadiah Smith, 
Jun. Sr. M. (!.; Isaac B. Titus, Jr. M. C; Lewis Batterson and 
John Arnold, Stewards, and Hugh Gregg, Tyler, Wyatt ('arr 
held his seat in the East until the 23d of December, 1820, 



1 92 MASONIC. 

whoii William A. Clark was elected to succeed him. Mv. 
Clark was followed by Jonathan Morrill. In December, 1824, 
Oliver Farrington was elected Master, and occupied that posi- 
tion down to 22d April, 1826, at which time the record stops. 
In the sununer of tiie last mentioned year, the conununications 
ceased, ajid the Tjodge became dormant for a period of forty-live 
years until revived in the winter of 18*11. 

During its early existence, covering- a period of eleven years, 
there were ninety-two candidates initiated, of wliom the first 
was Saml. H. Purdy. Their meetings were held in the attic room 
over the present Union Hotel, in Canterbury. Among the 
many names in the roll-call, we recog-nize at the present day 
l)nt one, Dyer Brewster, Esq., now in his 80th year. When the 
Lodge suspended, the paraphernalia were taken in charge by 
Mr. Lane, the former proprietor of the Union Hotel, and upon 
his death in 1863, they were preserved by Mr. Brewster. They 
an^ now to be seen in the Lodge room, and excite the wonder of 
visiting brethren. The Bible is of large size, 15in.x8in., and 
was printed in 1799. The Tyler's sword evidently belonged to 
some Revolutionary patriot, whilst a dark lantern formed of tin 
and wood with mystical openings gives rise to much specula- 
tion as to its use. Among the relics is a Masonic mirror and 
Symbolic Chart printed in 1819. 

During the fall of 1811, a dispensation was procured allow- 
ing a few resident Masons to meet under the old name. They 
continued their meetings until the 27th of July, 1872, when the 
old Lodge (revived with the old name, but a new number — No. 
721,) was re-installed by R. W., Ellwood E. Thorn, Grand 
Master of the State, assisted by representatives from various 
other Lodges. The procession was formed in front of the Hall 
under tii<> lead of R. W., Brother (t. Fred. Wiltsie as Grand 
Marshal, and proceeded to the Methodist Church, where the 
dedicatory rites were celebrated in ample form. Music was 
Inrnished by the West Point Band, and after listening to an 
oration by the Rev. Brother Charles Shelling, t)f Newburgh, the 
lii-ethren and others ])resent jiartnok of a bounteous collation 
pi'epared for the occasion. 

The |)resent officers of the Lodge ai-e Charles AfcLean, W^ 
M; a. 11. Black, S. W.; Henry Roderman, J. W.; Jacob V. 



TEMPERANCE HALL. Ui;^ 

Cocks, 'ricasiircr; P. I'. Ha/.eii, Secret a ly; Frederick I>e/eii- 
(lorf, Marslial; Kev BeiijaiiiiTi N. Lewis, Cliaplaiii; VV^illiaiii 11. 
Reynolds, S. I).; Saiimel Yoniij;', Jr., J. 1).; Daniel J. liUnsiiian, 
S. M. of C; Holland Enislie, J. M. of ('.; Lewis Haiiinierstein, 
Organist; David A. Faurot, Tyler. The acting Trnstees are 
Brothers Charles H. Mead, Noah Clark, Jr., and 'Sc^uirc Henry 
Van Dnzer. The Finance Committee is coinj)osed of Brothers 
(xeorg-e Chatfield, William Orr and A. J. Booth. 

The Lodge is now in a prosperons condition. Visiting lireth- 
ren are clothed and welcomed to the regular conimnnications 
which take place every Thursday night, in the Hall, over 
Knapp & Breed's store, Canterbury. 

TEMPER.iNCE HALL 

is h)cated on Hudsttn street, corner of Cherry avenue, about 
mid-way between Willis-ville and Riverside-hill. It was built 
in 1872 by the Idle-wild Temperance Association, at a total cost 
of about $6,000, including the price paid for the lot. It is a 
frame building, 30x55, surmounted by a cupola. The Hall 
proper is 29x40, with a 14 ft. ceiling; the walls wainsi-otted, 
and room appropriately furnished. It will seat five hundred 
people. Idle-wild Lodge, I. 0. of G. T.. No. 860, meet in this 
Hall every Tuesday evening. The Alpha Degree, a higher or- 
der of Good Templars, occupy it on the first and thjrd Friday 
of each month. The Cornwall Lodge, 1 0. of 0. F., No. 340, 
also use it every Monday night. Sunday afternoons at three 
o'clock, the Methodist Society hold their meetings at the Hall. 
Part of the building is occupi(;d as ,i dwelling, and on the 
ground fioor are three stores, the rent from which makes the in- 
stitution self-supporting. 

The first Temperance organization in Cornwall was eftected 
about thirty years ago. Among the more active members were 
Fowler Griggs and George G. Clark. It enjoyed a rather limit- 
ed existence. In 1869, a new organization was instituted at 
Canterbury, under the corporate name of Cornwall DivMon, S. 
of T., No. 204. It was inaugurated by tlie Hon. Samuel E. 
Shutes, at present Mayiir of Newburgh, James G. Roe, Rev. 
Mr. Messiter, D. A. Stephens, Esq., Thomas Taft, Jonas G. 
Davis, Joseph Ferguson, Henry R. Hunter, Harvey R. Taylor and 
Charles H. Ray. Among the ladies attached to it were Mrs. 



1 04 ODD-FELLOWS. 

Sliutos, the Misses C(jusers, Jackson, Ray and Wiley. David 
A. Stephens, P]sq., was tlie first W. P. Hon .Sanil. E. Shutes 
fo]h)wed hini, holding the office for two terms in succession. 
He in turn was succeeded l»y Mr. Tiionias Taft. The organiza- 
tion continued about five years, having in that period eni'olled 
a membership of two hundred and fifty. It gave way in 1811 
to the present Lodge of Good Templars, who are known as 
Tdle-unld Lodge, I. 0. of G. T., No. 860. Tlie officers of the 
Ijodge at present are as follows: William J. Quigley, W. C. 
T.; Martha E. Quigley, V. T.; Egbert Stover R. S.; Lizzie 
Wink, L. S.; James McLaughlin, Treasurer; G. F. Bethune, F. 
S.; Harman Goodsell, F. W. C. T.; Albert Lawrence, W. Sec; 
(i. H. Dobbs, Marshal; Sarah Jane Goodsell, Deputy M.; Mrs. 

E. E. Cabrey, L G.; John H. Cox, 0. G.; Jas. A. Ranney, S. D. 
The Hall was built by an association formed under the gen- 
eral laws. Stock was issued to the amount of $10,000. Wm. 
H. Clark is President of the Building Association, George 
Stevenson, Vice President, Leonard P. Clark, Treasurin', Frank 
Couch," Secretary, and its affairs are managed by them in con- 
nection with six other trustees. 

onn-FEi,i,(»ws. 
The brotherhood of this name had a Lodge at Canterbury, 
some twenty years since, which used to meet in Jackson Hall, 
and at one time over what is now known as Hazzard's Market. 
It had, however, but a brief existence, and we have been un- 
able t(j find the early records. Tt was known as Beacon Hill 
Lodffp. The present Lodge, which holds its meetings in the 
Teini)erance Hall building, was instituted Dec. 2, 1872, by G. D. 
1). Van Dalfsen, of Highland Lodge, Newburgh, under the name 
of Cornwall Lodge, No. 340, I. 0. 0. F. Tlie officers are: B. F. 
Oliver, N. G.; James Wyms, V. (}.; George Stevenson, Sec; 
W. P. Quigley, Treas.; J. H. Cleland, P. S.; H. Brock, Chaplain; 

F. Greatsinger, Guard; H. Brewer, L. S. N. G.; G. Cleland, R. 
S. N. (;.; P. J. Lozier, L. S. V. G.; T. Nappier, R. S. V. (}.; (J. 
Hulselander, Warden; W. T. Quigley, Conductor. The Lodge 
is rapidly filling up, and gives promise of a useful future. 



SCHOOLS. 1 <)5 



The ('iuisc ot" Education is not without its friends at t'ornwall. 
The public Schools are well appointed and well attended. The 
one at Canterbury, and that at Willis-ville, are the more ))roiiii- 
nent. The latter is deserving' of particular mention. The l)uild- 
ing devoted to the purpose stands close to Library Hall and was 
erected in 1868, at a cost of about $12,500. The money was 
i-aised by Hoating' bonds, all of which are now paid. About 
$2,000 more was laid out in the })urchase of furniture, maps, and 
other appointments. Scliool was opened in the spring of 1869, 
since which time there has been a constantly increasing attend- 
ance. The building is of brick, 60x82, and contains six class- 
rooms Ifesides a room for the district library. Mr. J. J. Law- 
rence is the principal, and is assisted by four lady teachers of 
acknowledged ability. School is kept the entire year, with the 
exception of July and August. The average attendance for the 
year is one hundred and fifty scholars. During the winter the 
number increases to abtmt two hundred and fifty. It is known 
as Cornwall School, District No. 4, and was organized under the 
free School law in 1868. There are in the library attached to 
the school about five hundred volumes, which are liberally pat- 
ronized by the pupils. 

The public school in Canterbury is of more moderate preten- 
sions. The building is a plain frame one, on Clinton street. 
The school is taught ten months in the year, and the average 
attendance about one hundred and five. The principal teacher 
is W. H. Brundage, who is assisted by Miss Laura Hotchkiss. 
The present trustee is Charles S. Ostrander. 

Besides the public schools there are several select private 
schools, for both day and Innirding pupils, among which that of 
Prof a. H. Carswell, at Willis-ville, and that of Prof Ct)bb, on 
the Heights, have a wide and well-deserved reputation. 



1 0() 



APPENDIX— TIME-TABLES. 



>t f 



Lienili.^. 



TIME-TABLES— SUMMER— 1873. 









ERIE SHORT-CUT RAILROAD. 










A.M. 

11.4:! 
*8.30 


P.M. A.M. 
(i.SO 11.40 
4.;t0 9.00 


AR.. 
LV,. 


CORNWALL 

NEW YORK 


..LV. 
..AR. 


A.M. 

7.32 
9.55 


P.M. 

5.20 
9.25 


P.M. 

*4.05 

7.25 



*Swndays only. N. B.— F. A. Barton's Stage is on hand upon arrival of every train. 



HUDSON RIVER RAILROAD. 

\ I I I IpmT i '^ 

1.58 9.03 7.58 6.02 4.30 12.5511.55 10.00 9.33 AR FISHKILL. 

8.45 7.42 5.48 4.15 12.40 11.37 9.17 COLD SPRING. 

P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. A.M. A.M. A.M. A.M. 

11.00*7.00 5.30 4.00 2.00 10.45 itO.lO' 8.00 7.00; LV NEW YORK. 

1A.M. A.M. A.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. 

EISKLILL LV. 6.42' 7.21 9.31 12.581*1.42 *4, 24 t8.15 8.11*9.43 

COLD SPRING I 6.57 7.35' 9.45 1..56 4.39 8.2510.05 

A.M. 
NEW YORK AR. 9.00 9.15 11.30 2.30 3.40 7.05 10.00 10.30 1.00 

Trains marked * run on Sundays also. Trains marked t run only on Simdays. 
N. B.— Communication with Cold Spring Station is made by row-boat terry. For Fish- 
kill, constilt the Time-table of the Newburgh Stages. 











BOATS. 










a 


Sc 






■*^ 5 


1 




w 


a 


a 
2 
a 
.a 


<D 


5= 

"3 
g 




T) 9 






U 
cS 


C. Vibbard aud 
Daniel Dre 

Cornell and 

Baldw 


S -' 

• r 

y. -5 


* 












JH 


P.M. 


P.M. 


P.M. 




P.M. 






A.M. 


P.M. 


12.30 


11.30 


7 15 


11 55 


6,20 


AR Cornwall LV. 


7.45 


2.25 


9.15 


11.30 


2 45 


9.00 






8.45 
A.M. 
8,30 


P.M. 
3.30 


....23d-st.,N. Y 

Vestry street 


10.45 


5.35 
5.50 






6.30 






P.M. 










A.M. 










4.00 






Harrison street 




2.30 








P M, 
















A.M. 






6.00 








Franklin street, 








5.00 


H.30 










Christopher street, . 








7.00 


.\.M. 




















8.00 










LV Fulton-st.Brooklyn AR. 










7.30 



*Suudays onlv. tNew Champion leaves Cornwall. Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 
and New York Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. tOne or the other leaves Cornwall 
every night in the week except Saturday. SDon't run on Sundays. 



WAY-BOAT— L. BOARDMAN. 

Leaves Newburgh 3, P. M.: Cornwall. 3.20: Cold Spring, 3.50: West Point, 4.00; Coz- 
zens', 4.10: Peekskill, 5.10— Arrives at Sing Sing 6.4.5. 

Leaves Sing Sing 6.45. A.M.: Peekskill, 8.15; Cozzens', 9.15; West Point, 9.25; Cold 
Spring, 9.35; Cornwall, 9.50— Arrives at Newburgh 10.15. 

This boat connects at Peekskill with Hudson River trains both ways. .\.lso at Cold 
Spring for Cornwall Passengers. Don't run on Siuidays. 



Ari'KNI)[X TIMK-TABLES. \(r 



aw sW -6 

^ NEWBUUtrH STACtES. " % 



o 



A.M. P.M.! A.M. A.M. 

11.4:> I'i.i.') AU RIVEK-.SIDE LV. H.JiO 7.15 

P.M. I and P.M. P.M. 

7.00 i ti.OO l.liO -2.45 

P.M. A.M. A.M. 

1-2.M ll'2.30 LIBllARY HALL 8.4.5 7.:!0 

P.M. aud P.M. P.JL 

7.;!0 I 5.40i 1.45 ;!.ll(l 

P.M. I P.M. 1 CANTEUBUUV A.M. P.M. 

5.30 12.30 1 S..30 1.00 

A.M. A.M. A.M. A.M. 

10.30 1>.M. A.M. 11.30 LY NEWBURtiH \K. '1.45 0.30 2.00 8.30 

P.M. 4.30 11.30 P.M. P.M. P.M. 

6.30 I 4.301 2.50 . 4.00 



POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS. 
Cornwall Lucation nl offire Canterbury Anms il. llnUctt. I'ust Ma.ster. 

MAILS CLOSK. 

(1.30 .\ Af. for New York and all iioints'Sonth. East and West. 
10.45 A.M. for Ncwbrn-Kh and the North. 
4.45 P.M. for New York and beyond. 
1.45 P.M. for Newbur^h and beyond. 

MAILS AKUIVK. 

8,0(1 A. M. from NewbnrKh- 
1-2.00 M. from New York. 
8. (JO P. M. frcnn New York and Newbnrt,'h. 

Mails come and j^o via the Erie Short-t'nt. 

Cornwall-on-the-Hudson Charles E. Cock. Po.st .'\laster. 

Main offiee at River-side. Branch at Mr. Weyant's store WjUis-ville. 
Mails close. 7.00 A. M. Mails arrive. 11.30 A. M. 

•2.30 P. M. 7.30 P. M. 



TELEGRAPH OFFICE. 
\Vill be found at Willis-ville iu the Smith House. 



MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
:\lasonie — Knaiip I'c Breed's Hall, Canterbury. Thursdays at 8, P M. 
Odd Fellows— Temi)erauee Hall, Willis-ville! Mondays at 8, P. M. 
Good Templars — do do do Tuesdays at 8, P. M. 

.\lpha Degree Templars — Temperance Hall, 1st Saturday at 8. P. M. 
do do do Firemen's Hall, Canterbury. 3d Saturda,^' at H, P. 



CHURCH SERVICE. 
Services begin at 11, A. M., iu all the Churches except the Methodist, where the hour is 
10.30. Afternoon service at i o'clock in the Episcoijal. 



THE CIRCUL.\TING LIBRARY 
is open every day except Sundays and Holidays. Transient visitors, uimn payment 
fee, can have the privilege of its shelves for the season. 



198 CONTENTS. 



EARLY HISTORY. 

Hiiir.v Hiiilsoii in tli(! Higlilaiids. .5: The Hall-iunoii ami Ma.ster Juet's Journal, fi: In- 
aiauK— Maringonian'.s (Jastle. Murderer's Kill, 7: Indian Relics, 8; The Devil's Danee- 
Cliamlier. 11; Capt. Kvans. 10: First House north ot the Highlands, 11; MaeGrecorie and 
Toshuck. VI. 

REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY. 

The Campaign of 1777, 14; Consjiiracy — Hiekey and Haft", the Tories, 16; the British 
Feint on I'eekskill, 17: Recounaiseauce of the Highlands. 18; General George (Uinton, 19: 
Forts Montgomery and CHnton, 20 ; their Capture by the British, 21, 22; Evacuation of 
tlie Highlands, 2:i; the Tory Spy and the Silver Bullet, 24; Ascent of the Ri\'er by the 
Bi-itish and Burning of Esopus, 24: Forts Constitution and Putnam— Chain Obstructions. 
2r>: Arnold and Andre, 26, 27, 28. 

BOUNDARIES AND LOCALITIES. 

Early Lines. 27: Reasons for Dividing Town, 30: Present Boundaries, IJl ; Salisbiu'y, 
I'.cthlehem, Mountaiu-ville, Highland-ville, :J2: Canterbury, 33; Garner-ville. Willis-ville, 
l!iver-side. 34; Roe-ville Montana, :^.'i. 

{.IHOROGRAPHY. 

The I'ornwall Basin. :^(i; Cromwell Ridge and Townsend Ridge, 37; the Intervening 
\';dleys and Suspension-Bridge over the Hudson. 38; Broad-view— Table-lands— Valley 
(^f the Moodna, 39: Orr's Mills— Paint Mills— Woolen Mills— Paper Mills— Linen Mills, 40: 
Montana Dri\e — Moodna Drive. 41. 

CLIMATE— TEMPERATURE. 
The Air, 42; its peculiar character and benefit to Consumptives. 43; the cause, 44; Is 
Cornwall Cool'? 4.5; No East Winds, 40. 

.\CCESSIBILITY. 
Boat and Rail commnuications — their number and facility. 47 — 49. 

MINERAL SPRING. 
Location— beauty of, 50: .\nalysis partial, .'il: Cures effected, 52; Future of, 53. 

CRO'-NEST CAVE. 
Its Recent Discovery, 54: Relics Found. 55; Story of the Spy. 50, 58. 

MOUNTAIN LAKES. 
Lake System of the Highlands, 59: Drowning Casualty on Poiilopen, 00; Names of the 
different Lakes, (iO: Their Number— Fish— Time to Visit. 26; Economical Application, 63: 
Their Great Value, 04. 

WEST POINT. 
Its Interest to Visitors, 05: How to Visit— Fort Putnam. t>6; Public Building.s— Tro- 
phies, 07; Riding Hall. OS: Monunients— Paths. 09; Kosciusko's Garden- Drives. 70; 
Benny Havens. 71. 

ASCENT OF STORM-KING. 
Etymology. 73: Routes for Ascending. 74; Summit View, 75; The Dividing Itidge bi- 
tween Sea and Inland .\ir. 75. 



CONTENTS. 1 <)<) 

(IKAVE OF DUNCAN. 

Life, Death niul Burial ul' the Hero, 77, 81: Site of the (iravc and it.s Cdiulitimi. 8J. 

IDLE-WILD. 

N. P. Willis, Sketch of his Life and Literary Prodiiction.s. Kl. H(i: Personal Keminis- 

cenees. K7; Ori{,'in of the Name of Idle-wild, K8; The Cottage DeKcribed, H'.l; Tlie Hronk, 

',»(): The Glen, 91; Fnnny Child's Weddiuf,', '.(2 : The Groat Water-spont— the C/.ar. ;•:): Tlir- 

Pig-tight Gate, 94 ; Mr. Courteuay, the present owner, 95, 9(). 

WALKS AND DRIVES. 
Landing from the Powell— the Doek alive — River-side Hill — Mary blake, 97: Hay -view 
Avenue, 98; Chaniplin Way, 09; Hudson Street, 100: Park Avenue, 101; Willis- ville Square 
— Canterbury Stone-bridge, 102; West Point Road, lOU; Driving Park. 104; Aseeiit of the 
Mountain, 10.5; Continental Spring — the Naiad's-bath Falls, 10(!: Blaek-roek, View from, 
107: the Lover's Roeking-stoue — Wm. Chatfield's Summit Farm, 108: Giant's Haunt — 
Legend— Giant's Slipper, 109: Pic-nie Rock, 110; Erlin's Blutt— Homeof the Fairies. 110, 
112; Hat-rogue — View from Erlin's Bluff — the Natural Bridge, 113; Lakes. 104: Forest 
o' Dean Mine — Poised Rock, 115. 

DRIVES ABOUT CORNWALL. 
Road to Newburgh, 117: Story of Manhattan Well. 118: Roe-ville— Sloop-hill. 119; Cov- 
ered Bi'idge — Cause-way, 120; Plum Point — its Beauty — Revolutionary History, 121; Re- 
mains Battery, Spear and Crib, 122: First House in Orange County — Nicoll-hill — Way-side 
Villas, 12;i; New Windsor hill — Ellison House — Treasure-trove — Glass Works, 124; New 
Windsor — Early Settlement — Brick Yards, 125; Shore Road — Toll Gate — Quassaick Creek 
— The Vale — Ettrick Grove, 126: Washington's Escape — Coal Works, 127; Washington's 
Head-quarters. 128; De.scriptiou of, 129; Newburgh, 130, 131; Erie Connections — Quas- 
saick Bridge, 132; The Aveime— Villas — Woodlawn'Cenietery, 133: Road to Vail's-gate — 
Knox's Head-quarters, VM: Lafayette, Incident. 135; Forge-hill — .Jouas Williams — Head- 
(juarters of Lafayette. 13(i— Holland Loan Vault — Early Cemetei-y, 137: Mrs. Miller's Snutl' 
and Tobacco Factory — Shamrock House — Cotton and Paper Mills, 138; Ijiiieu Mills — Early 
History of the Moodna. 139.110; (Claudius Smith — First Methodist Building in Orange 
County. 141; Edmondst(JU House — Head-quarters of Medical Staff, 142: Tlie Falls House 
— Washington Square — Camp Ground, 143: The Temple — Newburgh Letters. 144. 

STOCK-FARMS. 
Hambletonian — Mr. Rysdick — -Mr. Bachman's Stony-ford Farm, 145, 146: .\Jden Gold- 
smith's — Aaron H. Taylor's, 147; Major Morton's — .las. Hasbrouck — W. C. Trimble — Capt. 
Daniel Kennedy, 148. 

AQUATICS— WARD BROTHERS. 
Boating at Cornwall — Bathing, 149: Champion Oarsmen — Ward Brothers — Dates of 
Birth — Physical Peculiarities, 150; Races by -'Josh," 151; International Race, 1.52. 

HOTELS AND BOARDING-HOUSES. 
Number. Location and Accommodations. 1,53, 1.54; Prices of Board — Bills of Fare — 
Children, 1.55; First-class Hotel, 1.56. 

SOCIETY. 
Composition of. 157; Amusements. 1.58; tlonvenieuce to New York .\c(iuaintances — 
Growth of, 159. 

COMMERCE— EARLY AND FUTURE. 
Early Freighting, 160: First Freight^st(iamer on the Hudson. 161: Subsequent Enter- 
prises — Decay of C'ommerce. 162; Commerce of the Future — Air Freight-line to the West. 
164; Bridging the Hudson. 165. 

VALUE OF LAND. 
Present Prices of Land. 166. 167; Causes of Future Increase. 168. 



200 CONTENTS. 

(_tEOLOC4V. 
CTeoloKical Structure. 170: Quaternary and Priniitivc Furiiiatioiiis. 171; Liiutstouc — 
Caverns— Natural Bridge. 172; Mineral Deposits. )7:t, 174; Alluvidus. 17.5. 

CHURCHES. 
The Bethlehem Cliurcli. 170; Quaker Meeting House. 177; The Canterbury Methodist 
Church— The Highlaud-ville jMethodi.st Church. 179; The New Catholic Church, ISO; The 
Canterbury Presbyterian Ch;n-ch. 181; The Cornwall Presbyterian Church. 182; The Bap- 
tist Church— St. John's (P. E.) Church. 184. 

SOCIETIES. 
Library Hall. 187; Fire Department. 188-i>»0; Masonic. llll-l'.»2; Temperance Hall. I'.i:!; 
Odd-Fellows, 19.5. 

sc;hools. 

Cornwall School— Canterbury School— Private Schools. 19.5. 

APPENDIX. 
Railroad and Steamboat Time-tables. 19fi. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Titles marked with an asterisk (*). are from •• Harper's Magazine; " those marked 

with an obelisk (+), are trom Boynton's ■• West Point;" those marked with a 

double obelisk (t), are from "' Scribner's Magazine;" those marked with 

a section (S). trom Lossiug's "Field Book."— by permission. 

Henry Hudson ■"> 

Cornwall Bay, lfi09 •< 

Maringoman's Castle 7 

Devil Worship at Dans-Kammer '•' 

MacGregorie's House ^ 11 

View from Fort Montgomei-y 19 

Remains of Chain at West Point 2ri 

Remains of Boom at West Point 2ii 

Ide Pai)er Mills 4(1 

Pic-Nic Vignette 4fi 

JCro'-nest -54 

tRuins of Fort Putnam fifi 

tRiding Hall at West Point f>8 

tKoBciusko's Garden 70 

JBenny Havens 71 

*Residence of the late N. P. Willis H:i 

*Cottage from the Lawn x>> 

*Cottagc trom the Gate «9 

*Cottage trom the Meadow .... 9(i 

*Path in the Glen 91 

*Fiinny Child Brook 92 

*The Czar !•:( 

*Plateau and River from near Moodna 94 

*Pig-tight Gate 9.-. 

SiPlum Point Battery 122 

Spear and (!rib of Chevaux-de-frize 122 

Washington's Head-quarters at Newburgh 1'28 

Diagram of Head-quarters 1'29 

SRoom with seven Doors and one Window 129 

View of Newburgh V-W 

gEllison House — Knox's Head-quarters i;!4 

SThe Falls House — Clinton's Head-quarters *. 14:j 

SThe ( 'amp (iround at New Windsor 14:1 

The Temple 1*4 



